#but go and check that out for my writing until my blog is restored

[prismaticfaery]

Platonic!TF141 x Fem!Reader

***Just to be clear, an anon requested this same scenario with another writer and we are both aware! Please understand that if you request the same thing with different people, this can cause issues (people may claim plagiarism, etc).***

Summary: You’re Makarov’s daughter, your team doesn’t know, but Ghost is onto it.

TW: Mentions of mental and verbal abuse, pushing, and yelling, but nothing graphic.

Rating: Mature, just to be safe!

A/N: I absolutely appreciate that you love my writing! It makes me so happy! Also, if anyone has anymore requests, check out the pinned post on my blog!

Months. Months, it had taken you to track down the whereabouts of Vladimir Makarov. He had gone from one hiding place to another quickly, leaving no trail of his next location known, until you had narrowed down on it with one piece of intel you would have never thought of before: the place you were born. He was at the old apartment he and your mother had made a home. Vladimir Makarov was the father you knew of but never had the “pleasure” of knowing. Your mother had escaped Russia in hopes of keeping you safe, but he knew where you were. Always.

Your mother and father met and had you within a year of being together, and though your mother tried her best to keep her family together, your father’s views we’re no longer matching her own anymore. He had violent tendencies and many outbursts, going on long rants about restoring Russia to its previous “glory”, your mother never stuck around for them to turn into something more than yelling, pushing, verbal, and mental attacks. She needed to protect you— just a tiny infant at the time. He hardly held you or helped your mother care for you, your mother saying that it was better being an actual single mother than being a single mother in a relationship. Now here you were two and some change decades later, CIA, and in Task Force 141 trying to bring your father down. Your mother vehemently advised against doing anything that would put you in your father’s warpath but it made you want to do it even more.

“We’ve got Makarov in custody, prepare a room. I have questions,” your earpiece crackles with Price’s voice.

“Roger,” you reply, pressing the button to your comms device attached to your shirt.

Holding a large breath of air in your chest, you could feel the anxiousness bubble over. Letting it out in a large sigh, your now shaking hands folded your laptop back up. To say that fear was not the number one emotion overwhelming your mind and body would be a lie. You were fucking terrified knowing that you were now coming face-to-face with the man who helped in giving you life. Your mother tried her hardest to keep him away, and although you were aware of him, and he of you, you did your best to always make yourself a small blip on his radar.

The safehouse was on the outskirts of Moscow, so you knew that Price’s arrival would be quick. You were quick to hide any personal belongings you had brought with you on your deployment as to not bring any attention to yourself in case something went awry. You begin to make your way to the room that was not occupied in the house, dragging the table and chair from the kitchen and setting them up in the middle of the room. The room had windows, so you quickly opened them up and slammed the shutters. Once the windows were shut, you locked them and gave them a once over, making sure the locking mechanisms were secure.

“We’re entering the safehouse,” you hear through your comms.

You quickly gather yourself, shaking out your hands and clenching your fists. The door slams open and your father is the first person your eyes are set on. The blue and green eyes of Makarov are slitted, the dark eyebrows knitted together in anger and frustration as his wrists are bound behind his back with thick zip ties. Ghost and Price were on either side of him, their hands wrapped around his biceps and triceps, guiding him through the house to where your position was at the door of the makeshift interrogation room.

Gaz and Soap followed suit, making sure that you went into the room before they closed and secured the door, the two of them standing on the sides of the doorframe. Slamming Makarov down into the singular chair on one side of the table, Price and Ghost then made their way to the other seats across from him.

“Now tell me, hm, what were those crates holding? You can answer truthfully or lie, either way, we’re going to find out,” Price’s gravelly voice was quiet– venomous.

“You see, I had a nice place that those crates were going to, and now they won't make it to their destination,” Makarov jested, his head tilting to the side, a sadistic smirk playing at one corner of his mouth.

“Cut the bullshit,” Price’s voice cracks as his voice raises, his hand slamming onto the table’s surface.

“Why do you have American ballistics?” Soap interjects, moving closer, “who gave them to you?”

You watched as Price’s patience wore thin as he adjusted himself in his seat, his elbows planted on the table, fingers intertwining, “you thought that ballistics being delivered to every large city in Europe would be a good idea– like we wouldn’t be right on your fucking heels finding them? Now we found another set of crates with multiple destinations, where are they going and what’s in them?”

The room fell silent as you made your way to the table, sitting down in the empty chair right in the middle of Price and Ghost, “you seem to think that this is a laughing matter, I wouldn’t be smiling if I were you,” you’re pissed now, anger heating up your cheeks, causing them to turn a shade of pink.

“The wonders of encryption– good luck accessing any of the files on where these crates are being shipped,” Makarov’s eyes meet yours, and you immediately look away, fearing that he’s had far too long of a look at you.

“I can figure it out in minutes,” you cross your arms.

Makarov made an audible noise in the back of his throat. He knew exactly who you were and all he needed to see were your eyes. You had inherited the same heterochromia iridum trait that he had, and there was no doubt that he had just seen the same green and blue eye as he did. He had connections and knew you had grown up well, even became CIA to stop all of the bad people who worked in the shadows, and that included him.

Throwing one ankle over your leg, you rest it on your knee, sitting back in your chair, and it just so happened that Makarov had done the same exact thing at that same exact moment. Rolling your ankle so that your foot makes circular motions, you did it as your way of calming down, Makarov also doing the same.

Ghost looks at the both of you, noticing the same movements, the same positions, and body language. It seemed like copying at first, but deep down you knew it wasn’t, and you hoped Ghost didn’t notice. Your mother always told you how much you and your father were alike.

“What are you playing about?” Ghost spoke up, nodding to Makarov’s movements.

“Just getting comfortable,” Makarov’s ankle rolled in fluid motions as he shrugged his shoulders.

Your eyes narrow, and Makarov notices, his eyes fixated on your matching positions, “your eyes are lovely,” he gestures with a nod.

“замолчи (shut up)” you snap.

Price places a hand down on your shoulder, giving a squeeze as his way of telling you that he can handle matters himself. You silently nod, looking over at Ghost, his hazel eyes meeting yours. You could see his eyes narrow as he kept his gaze glued to yours, his expression hidden behind his balaclava and skull mask. He then looked at Makarov, who shared the same abnormal eyes as you.

“Not often you see different colored eyes, and here you are with matching eyes,” Ghost’s awareness was always top notch, and you knew a dark past loomed behind why he was like that– it wasn’t the usual awareness that came with being Special Operations. “Why did you comment on her eyes?”

“Ghost, what are you talking about?” Gaz was now behind your spot in the chair.

“Yeah, I’m not following, L.t.,” Soap crossed his arms.

“You were born in Russia,” Ghost’s voice was now raised, “look at their fucking eyes, look a their features, the way they’re sitting, it’s fucking uncanny. Are you related?”

“Stop,” you say quietly, almost whispering.

“Would make sense a traitor is amongst us in the Task Force, you knew his exact whereabouts and he allowed us to take him into custody without a fight,” Ghost was now angry– seething that he allowed his guard to be let down for a moment when a newcomer from the CIA came into the Task Force to help find Makarov.

Your father had a sinister smile on his face as he watched every safe wall surrounding you crumble, your entire team becoming so distrusting of you suddenly. Every eye was on you, burning holes. Makarov knew how you were from the moment he saw you but with your eyes being exactly like his, and Ghost being the way that he was, he kept silent and patiently waited for your cover to be blown.

“None of that is true-,” you began, whipping your head to look at your teammates.

“Take her out of here,” Price stands quickly, his hands placed on the table as his head hangs.

Price was going to let Laswell have it for not doing a more thorough background check on you. How could he have let this happen? Everything could be compromised now.

“No wait-!” You scream as Gaz and Soap grab your arms harshly, pulling you up from your chair.

“It was wonderful seeing you again after so long, дочь (Daughter),” Makarov grins, watching as your teammates drag you out of the room.

Soap and Gaz keep watchful eyes on you in silence, both of them planted on a couch while you sat across from them on a loveseat. It had gotten really awkward, really quickly. No one knew what to say. It wasn’t long until Price and Ghost made their ways out of the room, closing the door behind them.

“We have the right mind to lock you in there with him until we have exfil and leave the CIA to deal with you,” Price was right in front of your position on the loveseat, his gloved finger inches from your face. “Who is he to you?”

“He’s my father. I’ve never met him, but I know who he is and what he’s done. My mother made sure of that,” you’re playing with your fingers now, digging any tiny specks of dirt from underneath your nails to keep you from having to look anyone in the eye.

“It seems strange that you knew his exact whereabouts,” Ghost was still unconvinced, his eyes peering over at Price.

“It just made sense and I just so happened to have been correct. You don’t have to trust me, but just know that I did this for the Task Force.”

“When you’re the daughter of an Ultranationalist, I think this information is a need-to-know regardless of your standing with him,” Gaz made a point, his voice calm and his demeanor collected.

“I’m sorry, I should have told you all before. The CIA made sure to keep this secret for the sake of safety. My father is a dangerous person after all. He could come for me and go after anyone who’s affiliated with me.”

Soap kept quiet, listening to every single morsel of the conversation. In fact, this was the most silent he had ever been in your presence, he was normally the one throwing around words.

“The CIA will be questioning you, it’s purely protocol. Be prepared,” Ghost takes his leave— he was completely unreadable.

“I understand.”

“Get ready for exfil, we’re leaving in ten,” Price places his finger on his comms device, listening to the pilots landing instructions.

Price had no other words, he was completely lost. For months, he had trusted you. Allowed you to stay on base with the Task Force. Your eyes had seen countless files of confidential information and even though Laswell trusted you, it meant absolutely nothing if you played your part in any of Makarov’s plans without so much as a bat of an eyelash in your direction. For all they knew, you could be an espionage spy for the Russians.

“I’ll prove to you all that I’m one of you. I want to see my father burn.”

[doyouknowthischaracter]

RANDOM ASKS GRAB BAG

Putting a bunch of answered asks in one post so I don't spam your dashes too much. Under the cut because it's a very long post. If your ask isn't here, don't worry! The ask box is far from empty, and I'm sorta trying to group them by topic. Enjoy?

Anonymous asked: you mentioned in another ask that there were a few things you were probably going to check out from doing these polls and I was just curious which ones those are, if you don't mind sharing fjdjsj

I don't mind sharing! I had to go through the archive to remember which ones I wanted to check out, but a few of them would be The Walten Files, Red vs. Blue, The Murderbot Diaries, I Am In Eskew, and The Mistholme Museum of Mystery, Morbidity, and Mortality. Many of the characters posted here look interesting, but I'm such a slow watcher/player/reader/etc. that it'd take me decades to go through everything lol

Anonymous asked: Have you considered doing like uhhh idk how to explain properly, but statistics/data from loads of polls in a summary every so often? I've seen some poll blogs do a most known/least known type bar graph every so often. And I would be super interested in seeing this sort of thing for this blog!! It's fair enough if not though, obviously this would create a lot of extra work for you. Anyway, thanks for running this blog :-) Anonymous asked: I just asked a question about seeing the data statistics/ bar graphs - please ignore it! Just reread your pinned and realised I'd missed that bit :'). BUT, last point remains, thank you for running this blog and putting up with repetitive anons I bet aksjskdjsk

I haven't put the data in a graph yet, but if I figure out how to organize that in a way that's both comprehensible and actually tells us something new, I'll give it a try for sure. Until then, we do have the spreadsheet. And no worries, I'm glad you're enjoying the blog! :)

Anonymous asked: *sees a poll blog* "I must answer each and every poll I can"

Godspeed on your journey and remember to stay hydrated! 🫡

Anonymous asked: this is my favorite blog! Every morning I wake up and check the polls like they're the paper, just to say "I don't know them" Truely a humbling experience!

Happy to be your neighborhood paperboy!

@iceice-baeby asked: Are olyou fearing the day someone submits Solid Snake from MGS and you will choose the wrong picture Because everyone always seems to choose the wrong picture

The only difficulty will be in not using this one:

Anonymous asked: Just scrolled back through your blog up to posts from Dec 3rd and I know why those polls are closed now but I cannot describe the genuine anguish I felt seeing Mr Orange and going NO I KNOW HIM - I KNOW HIM!!!! Anyway I found this blog like ten minutes ago and I love it

Don't worry, he's A-OK! 👍

(Also, thanks! I appreciate your dedication.)

Anonymous asked: scrolling through to catch up on the characters and knowing a whole three of them was so bizarre. im not supposed to press the yes i know them button, im supposed to do my sworn duty and vote no with unending confusion. the world has been flipped on its head 😵‍💫

I bet the next 30 were characters you've never heard of, just for balance to be restored.

Anonymous asked: Whenever i misclick I feel sooooo bad like im sorry my dear friend for not recognizing you I apologize for my rudeness

No polls so far ended with only one vote difference between answers, so you don't have to feel too bad. For now. 👀

Anonymous asked: this is fun cause i’ve definitely submitted some characters but i’ve immediately forgotten who. so i’ll also be pleasantly surprised to see my beloveds on the blog.

A gift from you to you, courtesy of unreliable memory! Sweet!

Anonymous asked: Devastating. I keep missing the voting for the only characters I know.

You'll do it one day, I believe in you!!

@iceice-baeby asked: Would you consider writing in the tags if YOU know a character or not You have done it sometimes before, but I'd be curious if you do recognise some of those random niche as all hell blorbos Also I can't wait for my Blorbos turn. Because either He-and-she is gonna take most obscure place, OR I will actually find maybe more than two people, myself included, who know him-and-her and who I can ramble at for hours until they block me

Oh yeah, for sure. I didn't think anyone would be interested to know, but I can do that when I remember to!

Did your blorbo show up already?

Anonymous asked: I have been having the opposite problem of everyone else, apparently. I'll see a name and be like, "I don't know who that is". But then I see the picture and realize… Yes I do!

That's why I take the time to include fitting pictures, helps jog the memory!

Anonymous asked: I feel very superior every time I know a character most people don't

Hey, nobody likes a show-off. (<- Joking)

Anonymous asked: Wait, has Beetlejuice not been submitted?? I could've sworn I submitted the musical version! Anonymous asked: Oh wait no I didn't submit musical Beetlejuice to you, got you mixed up with @/every-character-ever-poll lol my bad

Indeed he hasn't been submitted yet, maybe next time!

@thetisming asked: sorry for saying something negative in the replies to a post someone was being a dick about jukebox musicals

No worries, but don't let it get to you. People are allowed to dislike your favorite things even without any good reason. It's a matter of taste, which is highly subjective. It's more constructive to focus your attention on people who do enjoy the same things as you!

@autism-criminal asked: What is your favorite color of the rainbow (red orange yellow green blue indigo purple) ?

Orange! 🍊 What's yours? :)

Anonymous asked: "data is not accurate" bro if ur going to a tumblr poll blog for accurate data you NEED to reassess some things asdfghjkl; anyway this blog is great thank you for running it it's a lot of fun and has resulted in some very funny interactions between me and my fiance. notably "what the fuck do you MEAN 6% of the sans undertale website doesn't know who sans undertale is" and "i'm sorry i simply don't believe that ANYONE doesn't know who DRACULA is"

Different people come here with different expectations, I suppose. Which is fine, I don't mind, but they're bound to be disappointed if they expect 100% accuracy all the time. But anyway! I'm happy to hear I can provide a new form of enrichment for you and your fiancé!

@sweetpollyolliver asked: So many manga and anime characters and I know like 1% of them 😭

I'm ngl, I'm not a big manga/anime connoisseur either, so I'm just as lost as you most of the time lol 🤝 (<- shaking hands in solidarity)

@cringelordofchaos asked: If I go insane one day I am going to try to make an English translation for Mesec Boje Purpura so everyone can know who veštica Noks is

I'm fully behind you! Keep us updated if you do.

Anonymous asked: I scroll through your blog. I don’t recognise any of these characters. ‘No,’ I click, ‘no,’ ‘no,’ ‘no.’ I am content in the darkness of the rock I live under. But, alas, all things must end. I continue my scroll, the glee of the irrelevant rampant in my veins. But what’s this? It can’t be… My shelter is cruelly ripped away and the brutal light of knowledge seeks me out like a bloodhound, it gives me no place to hide. ‘Yes,’ I sob, defeated, ‘Yes, I do know the jjba character.’

A modern-day Greek tragedy, truly 💔

Anonymous asked: was really surprised to vote and see that a character was 100% know them. then I noticed I got there early enough to be the only vote

For one shining, brilliant moment they were 100% known and surely that counts for something.

Anonymous asked: You should make up a character and make a poll for them and see how many people lie or misclick

Well....... I'm not going to comment on that. 🐰

Anonymous asked: I follow this blog and another blog that does smash or pass and occassionally I will come to one of your posts and examine the images to decide and then remember this blog's gimmick before trying to hit smash

Imagine voting smash there and then coming here to vote "I don't know them at all" on the same character. Brutal.

@ink7blot asked: *sees big naturals* I hate that. *reblogs*

A job well done, then 😌

[tickletrrickster]

Malicious Malfunction Mishap

A/N: old wip i restored from my drafts and finished when mha was relevant in the tk community lol! it’s kinda cute looking back tbh. trying to archive as much as i can on here, and some anon asks have been removed bc of the termination (..fuck, i have 3 anon requests on my old blog i lost the asks for)  Fandom: My Hero Academia Ships: IzuOcha at the end, implied Iida x Mei but only as a joke lo Summary: After Iida’s engine modifications, Ochako and Deku discover a fun new feature- touch sensitivity. You can see where this is going. 

“So, what do you guys think?” Iida sped around his friends outside the UA building, them looking on in awe at his new engines, courtesy of Mei. (Her words: "I finally get to make a baby inside of someone! Oh, that's wonderful!")

“Woah, Iida! The new design looks much more streamlined than the other... muttermutter... more orange juice capacity, seems useful.... Mei was kind of going for.. the star-struck Izuku muttered away, analyzing every new improved touch on Iida’s new calf engines, which were just made especially for him by genius inventor Hatsume Mei (her words- “Done! Now there’s a baby inside of you!”) straight from the comfort of her dormitory.

“They look the same..... But in a cool way!” Ochako feigned notice. “But how were you able to get an upgrade in such a short notice? Hatsume’s usually the one who offers to do it for us... Unless you two were making actual babies~” Ochako teased while Iida stood there flustered.

“A-as the class representative, I have to say that me and Hatsume have strictly professional relations!” Iida defended, a small flush on his cheeks.

“Oh, Ochaco.... Well, when we get back to the dorms, can I stay to check them out? I have to write this down.” Izuku tried to clear the air with his own fascination. Ochako nodded eagerly as well, following the boys into the quiet UA dormitories.

--------------------------------

“You’re going too fa-a-aa-a-aaast!” Izuku whined, holding on to a determined Iida who made a beeline for the boys’ dorms.

"I must go faster!" he replied, his glasses flashing.

“Wheeee!” Ochako sped, enjoying her joyride. “Nice, Iida!�� To nobody’s surprise, the trio made it up to Iida’s dormitory in a heartbeat, however to everybody’s surprise- much of the class rep’s organized decor had been.... rearranged. Posters of Pro Heroes with their gadgets and weapons were put up and some physics books were on the floor. The room smelled of spray deodorant and metal, as if somebody had trashed the place.

"Don't mind the mess, it's been a little chaotic nowadays." Iida abashedly put an arm behind his head, flopping down onto the bed. Ochaco was rolling across the floor while Izuku sat at Iida's study desk.

"So how'd the repairs go?" Ochaco asked, tapping her foot on the hardwood floor.

"Oh, um-" Before Iida could formulate a reply, he felt familiar chafed palms grasp his leg. Swiveling closer, Deku looked over at the renovation eagerly.

"Woah, totally improved!" Izuku carefully wiped across Iida's engine. The sensation made him almost jump upward. Never in his life had he thought that anyone would know about the nerves on the metal, that was, until today. Unfortunately for Iida, Izuku kept up his analysis while the events from when his boosters were repaired flashed before his eyes, specifically a particular moment when Hatsume found out about the nerve endings, which triggered a very unlikely reflex coming from the stoic go-getter.

“The shape’s much more streamlined... It’s more angular than before, allowing for better speed and performance.” Deku fidgeted with the engines, admiring them like one would a new car. “Besides-”

“Enohohough!”

“Woah, Iida!” Uraraka perked up from the floor and ran over to him. “What was that for?” Silence, aside from Deku’s analyzing mutters and pen scribbles. He always brought that book with him.

“...Boosters contain nerve endings, susceptible to human sensations like gargaleisis.” he thought out loud, the scritch-scratch of his pen slightly layering over his awkward voice. “Relax, Ochako! He’s just ticklish.. I think.” Deku replied, snapping out of hero-nerd-world.  “We- well you thought wrong!” Iida stammered, piquing Uraraka’s interest. The bubbly brunette tested her crush’s hypothesis, gliding a finger up the sparkling engines on his calves, making him stifle a strange squawk or squeal. Whatever that noise was.  “Oh! That’s cute.” Uraraka said nonchalantly.  “Hey, don’t try anything!” Iida was full-on blushing, the determined shine on his glasses was overtaken by the hot-pink blush on his face.  “I think we should! After all, you wanted to test them out, right?” Deku chimed in, an innocent smile on his face while he dragged his pencil’s eraser up and down his left engine.   “Gg-gnnk! I sahaid dohon’t try anythihing!”   “Looks like your reflexes have increased. Maybe this could be relevant to the babinski reflex, judging by the reaction. Are the nerve endings in the engines different?” Deku rambled, doodling up a sketch of the engines as well as noting down his words.  “I don’t know the answer to that, so I think that calls for further research!~” The less scientifically inclined Ochako chimed in, going straight in for the kill, digging her fingers into the pit of his knee where it met the calf.  “No! N-no research!! As a class representative, this ihis increhedibly unprofehehessional! St- stay away from my cahahalves!!”  “Deku-kun, this is really important! Are you taking notes!?”  “Stohohop her! Please, just doho it!” Iida begged, practically pleading at the mercy at the most innocent angel-faced hero because of a few fast fingers.  “Looks like further research is needed.” Closing his book, Izuku joined his friend in exploiting Iida’s new weakness. “This material isn’t organic, but why is Iida having this reaction? Strange. Might need to ask Mei..” “Save that for later. This is fun! Tickle tickle!” Uraraka chimed, her eyes practically stars while she moved away from his engines to his calves, squeezing and scribbling away like a drunken master.  “I blame Mei for thihis!!” Iida yelled weakly, raucous laughter still spilling out. “Now you’ve done it! Revenge time!!” Strangely serious, Iida flipped Ochako over as quick as he could run, tickling her stomach like he was a kid messing around on the piano while she kicked and squealed, floating away.  “I got her!” Deku helt her hand down, and they accidentally intertwined for a split second. Iida halted his hands while Ochaco and Deku stared into each others eyes. Both teens felt the thump of their aching hearts and clammy hands and the heat from their flushing faces. Awkward.  And for Iida, who was still considering whether or not he should tell the equally mischevious Mei whether or not she should do something about this reflex, the day was saved by the power of love.

[harmonyhealinghub]

When the Power Goes Out: How to Stay Calm and Prepared

Shaina Tranquilino

November 21, 2023

I was on the way home from attending a birthday dinner and all of a sudden, the streets went dark, all the street lamps were off, and it was pitch black outside. Thankfully, I was close to home and I had my phone on me to use as a flashlight. We don't have many power outages where I live, so I am lucky. However, since I am now at home sitting in the dark, I figured, what a perfect time to write! I wrote this blog on what to do when the power goes out, as I believe it can help some people calm down and be prepared in case this happens to them!

So, Imagine you're in the middle of a regular day, going about your daily routine when suddenly, darkness engulfs your surroundings. The power has gone out! Whether it's due to inclement weather, an electrical issue, or any other unforeseen circumstance, losing power can be quite inconvenient. However, instead of panicking or feeling helpless, there are several steps you can take to ensure safety and make the most of this unexpected downtime. In this blog post, we will discuss some practical tips on what to do when the power goes out.

1. Assess the situation: The first thing to do is calmly assess whether it's just your home experiencing a power outage or if it's more widespread. Check if your neighbours' houses are also without electricity. If they are affected too, it's likely a larger-scale issue that requires contacting the utility company for updates.

2. Gather essential supplies: Having an emergency kit handy is always beneficial during a power outage. Ensure you have items such as flashlights with extra batteries, candles, matches or lighters (safely stored away from children), portable phone chargers or power banks, a battery-operated radio for news updates, and enough drinking water and non-perishable food for at least 72 hours.

3. Preserve perishables: If the power outage lasts longer than a couple of hours, consider opening refrigerators and freezers only when necessary to maintain cool temperatures inside. This will help prevent spoilage of food items and extend their shelf life until normalcy is restored.

4. Secure alternative lighting: Use flashlights or battery-powered lanterns rather than relying solely on candles during extended periods without electricity; they offer safer illumination while reducing fire risks. Keep these lights strategically placed throughout your house to provide adequate visibility in all essential areas.

5. Unplug electronic devices: Before the power comes back on, it's wise to unplug electronic devices and appliances to protect them from potential power surges. This step safeguards your valuable equipment from damage when electricity is restored.

6. Stay entertained: Since you won't have access to television or internet during a power outage, have alternate sources of entertainment ready. Board games, card games, books, or puzzles can provide hours of fun for both kids and adults alike. Engage in meaningful conversations with family members or neighbours and make the most out of this uninterrupted quality time.

7. Keep cool (or warm): Depending on the weather conditions and the duration of the power outage, maintaining a comfortable temperature indoors may become important. If it's hot outside, try opening windows to create cross-ventilation; if it's cold, layer up with warm clothing and blankets. Avoid using gas stoves or charcoal grills for heating purposes as they pose serious risks of carbon monoxide poisoning.

8. Check on vulnerable individuals: If you live alone or have senior citizens, young children, or pets in your household, ensure their safety during a power outage by checking on them regularly. Make sure they are comfortable and provide necessary assistance if needed.

Experiencing a sudden power outage can be disruptive but staying calm and prepared will help you navigate through this temporary inconvenience smoothly. By assessing the situation, gathering essential supplies, preserving perishables wisely, securing alternative lighting sources, unplugging electronics, finding alternative entertainment options, regulating indoor temperatures appropriately, and checking on vulnerable individuals around you - you will be well-prepared for unexpected moments of darkness. Remember that being proactive before an emergency occurs ensures you're ready to face any challenges that arise while keeping yourself and those around you safe!

[muji-boy]

a day in eating disorder inpatient treatment

tw food mention, ed recovery, hospital

my original plan for the summer semester was to take a course, leaving me with only one more semester of my degree. however, that plan had to be put on hold because i chose to further my recovery from my eating disorder and participate in the symptom interruption phase of inpatient treatment. while shorter than the full program, i still participated in all of the groups and meal supports for three weeks. i thought i would write a blog about a typical day in treatment in case anyone was curious, and to break down the stigma surrounding eating disorder treatment. note, i do mention what i would typically have for meals and snacks which is a totally personal thing! everyone is different. i was there only on weight maintenance, so my experience is much different than somebody on a weight restoration plan. please don’t continue if that is something that would trigger you.

my typical day started with being woken up to get weighed at around 7 am. then it was back to bed until 8 when bloodwork would wake me up a second time. after they finished i would get up, make my bed, and get dressed for the day. most people wore sweat pants and slippers but i tried to keep myself in a routine and would wear comfortable jeans and sneakers, the same as i would outside. my room, which just happened to be the biggest out of them all, was a private room with a bed, night table, desk, chair, bathroom, and sink. on my wall there were two posters, non negotiable rules and a dbt skills poster. i also had a whiteboard where i wrote an inspirational quote. i stuck pictures that meant a lot to me on the wall over my bed with sticky tack. i’d brush my teeth and by then the nurse would come in with my morning medication. then it was off to the group room to wait for breakfast. the group room consisted of a table with chairs and three couches we could sit or lie down on and watch tv or just hang out. at around 8:30 a staff member would come collect us from the group room and we’d make the long walk of shame down the hallway to the kitchen. breakfast would be laid out, ready for you. my best friend made the placemats during a previous admission we had together. they all have an inspiring quote on them.

for me, breakfast often consisted of coffee that tasted like bog water, scrambled eggs, a muffin with butter, plain oatmeal with brown sugar, and a banana. the room had a google home mini so we’d listen to music while we ate. we got 30 minutes to finish everything in front of us, 100% completion was a non negotiable rule. after we finished we went around the room sharing our check out of how the meal went, one thing we liked about the meal, and what our plans were afterwards. then we would be escorted back to the group room for our first group of the day. i’m going based on thursday, which means we had family relations first. we would talk about our relationship with family and friends and how the eating disorder influenced them. it was really cathartic, although it was common to be uncomfortable when the social worker asked for your participation.

after group we would go back to our rooms and wait for the doctor. she would sometimes pop in and go over your bloodwork with you and see if you needed anything. then the nurse would come in and let you know it’s time to lie down for vitals. you laid there for five minutes. some people would look at their phone during this time and play wordle, but i always stared and the ceiling and did square breathing. it felt like a good time for mindfulness. the nurse came in with the blood pressure machine and took it lying, then standing after two minutes. she also took my temperature and asked me some questions about mood and bowel movements. that’s one thing i don’t miss.

next we had morning snack at 10:30. we would reconvene in the group room and wait for the staff member to come collect us. although it is something i struggle with, i personally enjoyed this one the most. i even inspired some staff members to try peanut butter on their apples because that’s what i always had. while eating together as a group was a norm, part of the program is increasing independence. so i did a lot of morning snacks with just me and the staff member because of where the other patients were in their program. after we finished snack, which we had 15 minutes to complete, we played a game for 15 minutes. i usually chose skip bo.

after snack we would have another group such as dbt. if you’re not familiar with dbt, it stands for dialectical behaviour therapy. it’s a really helpful therapy that explores emotions, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and the connection between events and behaviours. for this group we were often assigned homework pages in a workbook to complete by the next session.

then another staff member would come get us for lunch at 12:30. everyone always ate lunch together no matter where they were in the program. a typical lunch would be an egg salad sandwich, salad with dressing, canned peaches, and water. again, we would have 30 minutes to complete it. then we would play a game for 30 minutes. the group of patients i was in with liked playing bananagrams. i had never liked the game before this admission.

from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm we would have free time. this was also the time a staff member would open up the doors to the “patio” so we would hang out there. really, it was just some fenced in grass with a flower box and a couple of old lawn chairs on a concrete slab. but the fresh air was vital for our sanity. we would also mingle with the general psychiatry patients out there (as this program was separate, but still took place on a general psychiatry ward). then, another snack. my favourite was raisins and cheese. this snack was usually done by the nurse. again, 15 minutes to eat and 15 minutes to play a game afterwards. 

on thursdays we had weight review at 3 pm. the dietician would come find us and we’d go sit in private to discuss our weights and whether there needed to be changes made to our meal plan. for patients in weight restoration this was absolutely the most stressful and triggering part of the week. you also had the option of not knowing your weight but you would still have an idea of what was happening from the status of your meal plan. after our meeting we were free to do whatever until supper.

supper was supposed to be at 5pm but it was always more like 5:30 because the kitchen was always late. we’d be waiting in the group room, doing a puzzle to pass the time, a typical supper would consist of something like fish, mashed potato, vegetables, and cranberry juice. again, 30 minutes to eat and 30 to play a game. usually supper was supervised by a pca (personal care assistant). after supper we would have more free time, which was usually when we’d get visitors. when my mom was in town she visited, otherwise i hung out in the group room and watched movies while painting or studying for the mcat. night snack was at 9pm, and the pca would supervise that one as well. i loved ending off my day with something like cereal and soy milk. in the past you had to have a special reason to have soy milk, but now it’s more accepted as an alternative. i genuinely like the taste of soy better.

after that i would get a shower and read a book until my night nurse came in with my bedtime medication. then i’d go to sleep and do it all again the next day.

i am so thankful i had the opportunity to participate in this program. at first i felt like i wasn’t sick enough to be there, but then i realized that there was no “sick enough” and i deserved to be there. i gained a lot of insight and got back on my feet, which is what i needed. now i have the energy to focus on studying for the mcat! i hope writing about this experience takes away some of the stigma.

[askaceattorney]

Dear Asexual-Deesasters,

Mod Edgeworth: 

If you want to know the answer to that question, go to this link.

Dear Skibot99,

Co-Mod: I’m fairly certain it was The Mod, but I don’t know for sure.  He actually had another one before it, made from an old Ace Attorney musical animation.  I haven’t been able to locate that video, unfortunately, but here’s the old banner:

Ah...  Those were good days.  Good days.

Dear Dawsongfg,

Co-Mod: It’s fine.  Besides, it won’t be too long before those letters are accepted, so maybe we’ll hold onto them until that time.

Dear skibot99 again,

Mod Edgeworth: The Lost Turnabout hands down. All logic is thrown out the window the moment Phoenix had amnesia. It’s clear the Judge knew something was wrong with Phoenix, so why didn’t he call for a recess or check on Phoenix? Not to mention Wellington was annoying. He’s probably the only character I would be hesitant to play as when answering letters, if only because he was so unbearable.

As for Turnabout Ablaze, I do agree that it is a drag to get through in the end, though the entire game of AAI was boring, aside from the game mechanics. As a case by itself, I wouldn’t put it as my least favorite, if only because I did get some funny parts out of it.  It also contributed to the overall story, whereas The Lost Turnabout could just be taken out and it wouldn’t effect the overarching plot.

Co-Mod: I’d probably have to go with Turnabout Big Top.  I honestly couldn’t figure out the part where you have to present Max’s poster without consulting a walkthrough.  Why couldn’t we just present Max himself?  Besides that, the ending was largely underwhelming -- the murder weapon was hidden under Acro’s blanket the entire time, but instead of seeing a screenshot of it there, we just have to imagine it.  Maybe it was a filler case, but that was no excuse for it to end so poorly.  Not to mention one of the witnesses was a literal puppet.

It’s hard truth, Trilo.  Live with it.

Dear skibot99 and Anonymous,

Mod Edgeworth: I… think I heard from her when the localization of DGS was announced? I know Mod Kristoph and Mod Maya introduced themselves when I came into the group. There’s a third person, but I only heard from her once. As for what’s going on with her… I don’t know.

As for the flooding the inbox, it’s fine. I won’t promise a letter or two won’t be deleted, but we may make an exception and I’d hardly consider 4-5 different letters flooding the inbox. However, I do highly suggest lowering your letter sending to no more than three a day to prevent deletion of your letters. The only time I’d say your letters are flooding the inbox is when you’re sending 10-20 of them, especially of the same letter, and we have to scroll down for a while to get to the next letter. We will only choose three out of that pile and delete the rest.

And yes, we do have a few that send us 10-20 of the same letter to multiple characters in the span of five minutes. Geez.

Co-Mod: Mod Paups has had to remain absent for personal reasons, and sadly, has recently communicated to me that she wishes to leave the blog entirely.  Thanks for all you’ve contributed to this blog, Mod Paups, and best of luck in whatever you do next!

(Referenced Letter)

Dear mungeondaster,

Mod Edgeworth: Since I answered this one, I shall answer your letter.

(^ Why do I always use this sprite? ^) Actually, the localization never specified if Manfred Von Karma was born in Germany or not. In fact, we never knew the German part until Justice For All when Franziska Von Karma was stated to have flown all the way from Germany. It never specifies any reason for this and fans were quick to jump to the conclusion that it means the Von Karma family were German, which… isn’t entirely true? Manfred Von Karma never said he lived in Germany and, for all we know, Franziska could’ve lived in Germany to study law or something.

Now, the OG does give us more specific detail on this, being why I answered this the way I did. In the OG, both Von Karma’s were born Japanese, but lived in America or at least have an estate there. It specified that they were originally born in Japan, which would be translated to LA, California in the localization. While using the OG canon isn’t normal here, I will use it, if the localization doesn’t specify things. In this case, it never specified if the Von Karma’s were born in Germany or if Manfred Von Karma lived in America. Since he had to wait out the Statue of Limitations for DL-6, we can assume he lived in LA for 15 years or more. That means he’s American.

I am still getting the hang of writing letters, but I try to stick to canon as much as possible. If you believe we’ve made an error in our letters, feel free to let us know, but also show proof, if we go against canon. We’ll be sure the letter is sent to the right mod or else fix it.

Dear  Bluedragoncody,

Mod Edgeworth: I... don’t know how to feel about that.

Also, I accidentally deleted your previous letter before this one when trying to post it on here. I’m so sorry about that. If you could remember it, would you send it again?

Co-Mod: I’ll just respond to this with an old classic:

Dear Aceattorneyismyjam,

Mod Edgeworth: I-I’m not a pro! I accidentally deleted an important mod question from bluedragoncody, because of my inexperience. Oof! Again, so sorry!

Granted, I am good with digital art and writing essays, but I’m still trying to get the hang of being a mod here. Believe me, I do get corrected on several mistakes I do here. I can’t really call myself a pro just yet. I’ve only just started becoming a mod here last month lol

Dear Dahlia,

Mod Edgeworth: I thank you for your support of this blog and my essay. Manfred Von Karma is also my favorite villain and someone I do feel is underestimated as a one dimensional villain. I think people hate him so much, because of how he ruined Miles Edgeworth’s life without looking at the bigger picture. They focus on the bad things with their black colored glasses without dissecting Manfred Von Karma’s character as a whole. 

One thing I love about this blog, even before becoming a mod, is that no one here ever portrayed Manfred Von Karma as the one dimensional villain. He can be snappy at times, but as proven in many of our previous letters, he’s also portrayed as being calm when threatened, polite at times and absolutely loves his wife and children. Yes, he’s a terrible person, but that’s what makes him so interesting. He’s a bad, evil person that does good things from time to time. It doesn’t justify any of his horrible deeds, murder included, but it does make him human.

Co-Mod: I’m...going to assume you’re a different Dahlia.  (I’m grabbing a Magatama of Parting just in case, though.  I’m sure you can understand.)

Anyway, thanks for being such a loyal follower!  This blog’s been through a lot of changes since it began, and since I joined it back in 2017, so I’m glad it’s still a good source of enjoyment for you.  I’ve seen all sorts of cringe by now, by the way (some of which I wrote myself), so don’t worry about it.

I’m also glad that the characters still sound like themselves and not like us.  The hilarious personalities and quirks given to them by Capcom’s writers, as well as the humanity in so many of them, make them easy to relate to, and thus fairly easy to mimic.  I may have said something like this before, but I see myself in a lot of them -- in Athena’s fear of inadequacy, in Apollo’s desire for justice in a world where it’s hard to find, in Sebastian’s confusion about where to go next after his world falls apart, and possibly even in the von Karmas’ desire for perfection.  I of course identify with their positive feelings as well -- Phoenix’s smugness when he gets things right, Athena’s joy after pulling off a victory in court, Adrian’s pride after her self-confidence is restored, etc. -- but there’s something about the struggles they face that make them easier to relate to, on top of being that much more awesome in the end.

Unfortunately, I can’t promise anything about this blog continuing on in perpetuity.  For one thing, I don’t plan on being around forever (I’m fairly certain the other Mods don’t, either), and for that matter, there’s also no telling how long Tumblr will be around.  All I can promise is that I’ll give my best while I’m here, and that the love from you and everyone else who shares it here is sure to be what keeps us going.  Thank you for your contribution!

Dear TurqouiseJavelin,

Mod Edgeworth: Hm... not bad ideas. Though, we mods choose our own mod names under the condition that it doesn’t match anyone else’s mod name.

Co-Mod: What Mod Edgeworth said.  Choosing the name “Mod Athena” may or may not increase your chances of being hired, though.  *wink, wink*

Dear Anonymous, 

Mod Edgeworth: Actually, Gregory was stated in the Autopsy to have died by a gunshot. However, you do bring up something interesting. If Gregory Edgeworth realized he was dead and last remembered Robert Hammond strangling him, he wouldn’t think “I died by the shot of a gun.” Since the Detectives weren’t aware that victim had died unconscious, they’d assume the victim would recall being shot and killed. This makes me wonder if Gregory Edgeworth was channeled, but never brought to court to be cross-examined.

There are still holes, but I do like your aspect on DL-6.

Co-Mod: Dang...  No matter how many times you come back to this game, there’s always something new to think about.  I honestly hadn’t considered those details about Yanni Yogi’s trial.  Your explanation makes the most sense to me, but there’s one other possibility regarding Gregory’s testimony -- he may have chosen to lie about who murdered him in order to protect his son from a murder charge.  That’s all open to interpretation, of course, so your guess is as good as ours.

It’s a good thing we’re not actual defense attorneys, huh?

-The Mods

[speedprofessor]

THE DEFINITIVE CANON REWRITES POST

     I have been writing Eobard for long enough that a lot of things has changed and shifted over the years and his canon on the blog really has become truly unrecognizable from the show. So if you came here expecting a canon compliant Eobard, you will be severely disappointed. So this post will hopefully be your handy dandy guide to all the retcons and divergences I have from all the seasons. 

     A final point of note is that a lot of my canon is shared with @isjustice​ as we are exclusives and I highly recommend you check out her season rewrites to get a better idea of the whole picture.

     TL:DR -Seasons one, two and the beginning of three are canon as shown, rest of season three is not acknowledged. -Legends of Tomorrow is heavily rewritten. -Legends: Eobard in charge of the Legion of Doom is in fact Hunter Zolomon before his appearance in Flash season two. Real Eobard begrudgingly teams up with the Legends to stop him, he does “die” at the end of the adventure. -Crisis on Earth X is absolutely NOT CANON. He instead teams up with the Justice Syndicate from Earth 3 to crash the WestAllen wedding because he is petty like that. -Eobard plotline of season 5 is canon, rest is not. -Crisis on Infinite Earths is HEAVILY rewritten. Eobard assumes the role of Harbinger, during the events of the crossover he and Barry make amends and he helps the heroes defeat the Anti-Monitor. -Post Crisis is fully canon divergent. Eobard becomes Professor Zoom and is counted among the Founders of the League. 

IN DEPTH BREAKDOWN:

FLASH SEASON THREE:

-Flashpoint lasts approximately six months, Eobard is still imprisoned and is keeping Barry company. Trying to be the voice of reason and make Barry revert the changes. -Flashpoint overall is a lot more fleshed out and expanded upon. Atlanteans and Amazonians, once only myths, now exist in the world and are at war with one another. -Oliver Queen has been murdered by The Condiment King. -The Atlantean - Amazonian War reaches a fever pitch and causes the destruction of the United Kingdom, upon realizing the true consequences of his actions, Barry finally lets Eobard out to ‘finish what he started’. -Upon killing Nora Allen and entering the Speed Force to take Barry home, Flashpoint!Eobard’s memories are merged with that of his season one self, leading to the restoration of Eobard Thawne proper.  -Alchemy and Cobalt Blue are the villains for the rest of season three. Savitar!Barry does not exist. -Cobalt Blue is Flashpoint Eddie Thawne who remembers that timeline and is bitter about it. Read more about it here.

LEGENDS OF TOMORROW:

-Eobard, upon attempting to run back home, is alerted to the existence of Black Flash Racer, who is an extension of the Speed Force that wants to correct the mistake that is Eobard’s paradoxical existence. -He starts running through history to find a solution to his problem, during which he discovers that there is another Eobard Thawne operating with a group called Legion of Doom. -This Eobard that is part of the Legion of Doom is in fact Hunter Zolomon, before his season two story arc in the Flash, masquerading as Eobard so his own identity is still kept a secret. -Real Eobard teams up with the Legends so the Legion of Doom doesn’t get his hands on the Spear of Destiny. -He does want the Spear for himself just to fix his paradoxical existence, but he has no desire to ‘rule’ the world. -Most of that season can happen as normal just know that ‘Eobard’ in that season is not actually Eobard -In the end, Eobard chucks Zoom back to Earth-Two but then immediately gets killed by Black Racer because time is an ironic bitch.

FLASH SEASON FOUR:

-Eobard is dead and back in the Speed Force and very desperate to go back home. -He makes a deal with the Speed Force that makes him a pure conduit of the Negative Speed Force, effectively tethering his existence to Speed Force. ( supplementary headcanon. ) -He is now a living paradox and fully connected to the Negative Speed Force, rendering him immune to timeline changes. -The moment he is out, he attempts to run back home, but Speed Force blocks him from doing so, partially as punishment for his past deeds, partially because he needs a reason to run and keep the Speed Force healthy. -CRISIS ON EARTH X DOES NOT HAPPEN, instead Eobard recruits the EARTH-THREE CRIME SYNDICATE to ruin Barry’s wedding, bitter about his new situation and his inability to run back home. -While doing so, he is starting to realize that he no longer harbors the same intense rage and hate towards Barry. -Upon Crime Syndicate’s defeat, Eobard escapes and is imprisoned in 2030 for Reasons™ -Listen the show never explained it why the fuck should I.

FLASH SEASON FIVE:

-Savit’r is the big bad of the season, Cicada gets a two-parter episode at best because he sucks. -Cicada’s dagger, however, is still in play and is what’s keeping Eobard imprisoned. -Eobard’s training of Nora takes place over a period of TWO YEARS, instead of the laughably small amount of time shown in the show. -Cicada is killed by Savit’r, who then destroys the dagger and leads to Eobard being freed. -Eobard / Nora / Barry confrontation happens as shown. -He genuinely grew fond of Nora and wanted her to survive by using the Negative Speed Force, so he is sad to see her get wiped from existence. -Upon running away from the scene, he is stopped by Mar-Novu, who promises him a way home in return for his help with the impending Crisis.

SEASON SIX (abandon all canon all ye who enter here)

CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, EARTH ONE.:

-Eobard is The Harbinger, tasked with running between all the Earths and recruiting others. -He works with Oliver Queen during this time. -Over the course of Crisis, he comes to terms with the fact that he no longer hates Barry like he once did, so he buries the hatchet with him and finally lets go of his vendetta. -Watches Barry die as he destroys the Anti-Matter Cannon, the resulting tachyon explosion catapults Eobard back home. -This drabble takes place.  -The Multiverse is Destroyed.

CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, EARTH PRIME:

-Multiverse is Rebooted. *Eobard is back in 25th Century, having never become Reverse-Flash in this timeline. (how does post-crisis season one work, then? Shhh don’t worry about it.) -The moment the Paragons ‘awake’ in Earth-Prime, he gets struck by lightning, (re)gaining his powers and his memories of the Pre-Crisis timeline. -As he is from the future, he recognizes he has all the time in the world, so he spends five decades living with his wife, Rose, until her death by natural causes. -Upon her death, he uses his powers to restore himself to his peak physical condition and runs back to 2020 to take place in the Final Fight against the Anti-Monitor. -Due to his actions in COIE, he is given a Founder status in the newly formed Justice League.

SEASONS SEVEN AND BEYOND:

-He makes himself a new suit, and renames himself Professor Zoom. -Nora Allen is alive in this timeline and is the tether that keeps Barry in the Speed Force, so, at her urging, he kills her again to bring Barry back. -He tends to spend his time operating as the Chief Financier Officer of the League because he knows other heroes aren’t all that fond of him and he’s overall still uncomfortable with the notion of being a Hero™. -He keeps his distance from STAR Labs overall, because even though he is on ‘good terms’ with Barry, there is a lot of nasty history there. -He does help out the League and Team Flash if he is absolutely needed, however.

[roseelise]

In her arms // Cole Sprouse

Reposting all my writings from @r0s3mm, my main blog, it is not stolen or plagiarized. All my works on my masterlist are main unless stated otherwise. 

Hello! Welcome to 2-h, the back up account of @r0s3mm, I’ll be posting my works on here too until (hopefully) my blog gets restored and if not this will become my main blog. 

Pairing: Cole Sprouse x reader

Word Count: 1139 (look how short wow omg)

Author’s note/warnings: none it’s pure fluff 

*********************************

“Are you there yet ?” His voice rang through the speaker.

"I’m almost there Dylan, what about Cole ?“ "Look at you all worried for him-” “Ah stop it ! I just wanna make sure nobody ruin my surprise.” "Yes. He made it here an hour ago. He doesn’t suspect anything.“ "Nice, thank you again for flying me out !” "What wouldn’t I do for love ?“

"Please remind me to pay you back.” She said turning the corner of their street. “(Y/n) don’t worry. I insisted, it wasn’t a long flight.” "Still I wouldn’t have been able to see him if it wasn’t for you.“ "He’s your boyfriend stop that, you would’ve seen him either way. Where are you now ?” "Front of the house. I just parked.“

She stepped out of her car and looked at Melanie’s house. It hasn’t changed. She thought to herself as she took her bags out.

When she rang the door, she heard quick steps and then the door opened on a breathless Dylan.

"I guess you’re happy to see me …?"

"Yeah sure. Not that I had to race Cole to the door.” He said hugging his friend. “Where is he ?” She whispered. "Downstairs. Mom’s in the kitchen.” After letting her bags near the stairs she joined Melanie in the kitchen to greet her. "Hi ?!” She greeted the host. “(Y/n) ! Hi ! How are you doing ?” She asked the young woman. "I’m good. Thank you for letting me stay here for a couple days.“ "No worries, I’ve missed you, it’s been a few months.” "Yes it has. I had a crazy schedule with school and all.“ She said pulling herself a chair.

After a few minutes of chitchat, Dylan texted her to remind her of why she was here in the first place.

~ I know mom and you are good friends, but Cole is falling asleep.~

Fuck it. She’ll see him later.

~ Let him sleep, he needs it. I’ll sneak in later.~ ~Alright, he’s going in the living room.~

She kept talking with Melanie with Dylan who showed up after their exchanges and suddenly her phone rang.

"It’s him, he’s facetiming me.” Her head shot up from her phone. "Answer.“ Dylan said. ”Hi babe !“ She said making sure the wall behind her didn’t reveal anything. ”Hey, where are you ?“ He asked his face resting against the cushion of the couch. ”I’m at a friend’s. Doing homework !“ ”Oh, that sucks. I miss you.“ ”I miss you too baby, what’s up ?” "Nothing just wanted to see what you were up to.“ ”Alright, what are you doing ?“ ”Resting I’m not feeling really well.“ ”What do you got ?“ ”Headache.“ ”Oh, how’s everyone?“ ”Mom’s ok and Dylan too I guess.“ ”You guess ?“ He shrugged and they kept talking about everything until Cole’s eyes couldn’t stay open. ”Cole go to sleep, you’re falling asleep in my face.“ ”But I don’t want to leave you.“ ”I won’t move and when you wake up we’ll talk. I’m not far.“ ”Yes you are. I miss you (y/n)“ ”I miss you too my love now go rest and I’ll be here when you’ll wake up.“

Waiting for him to be fully asleep, she read a bit and unpacked her stuff in Cole’s childhood room. "I’ll go check on him.” She informed her boyfriend’s mom.

She smiled softly at her and left without another word. The couch was quite large and she was able to squeeze against her boyfriend’s chest. Eyes roaming his face for any sign that he was waking up, she knew he was a heavy sleeper when he was sick so she didn’t really worried. The dark haired man’s body stiffen and she stopped any movement.

He took in a deep breath, inhaling her scent, his whole body relaxed and his head found its place in the crook of her neck where his lips placed a gentle kiss. He hadn’t woken up.

While in his head, he was dreaming, a wonderful dream where his girl, after three long months, was back in his arms. She would lay next to him in the grass, her (y/h/c) splayed across his lower body as her head would rest against his chest. Face toward him, he would get his camera out and take a few dozens pictures of her. Her (y/e/c) shining, screaming the three words they haven’t said yet.

*********************

It was a memory. Their third date, he had taken her near a small lake and they had learned to know each other as more than long time friends, lovers, that’s what they were now.

After a few minutes that turned into an hour, she was still looking at her masterpiece of boyfriend and brushed a single hair strand away from his face. She noticed that the root of his hair had gotten a bit lighter.

She cupped his face when she felt his arm sneak behind her back and pulling her closer to him. If it was possible. She felt his thumb drawing circles on her back and shivers went down her spine when she felt a hot breath against her neck. Both of their bodies pressed against the other, arms tightly wrapped around each other.

She laughed softly when she heard a relieved sigh escape his lips. She pulled away enough to see his pretty face. "Hi,“ he opened his eyes slowly and realised that she was here, for real. "You’re here.” His voice was raspy from sleep.

She nodded and let his lips kiss the tip of her nose, then her forehead and then, he placed the softest kiss on her lips, barely brushing against each other. After three months, many mornings dreaming she came to see him, she was here, with him, in his arms.

"I love you.“ He said against her lips. "I love you.” She whispered, a smile dancing on their lips.

Every time those three words were whispered; they would act as if it was their most precious secret. But everyone who saw them knew that these two were meant to be. That is what was happening when Melanie Wright walked in her living room and stopped when her eyes landed on the young people laying on her sofa.

Eyes locked in each other’s whispering sweet nothings. Her son who was normally joking around and let’s be honest, loud, most of the time. Laid, eyes glassy from sleep, arms wrapped tightly around the girl who she hoped, she would get to call her, her daughter one day, a big smile on their lips, it was like the world stopped around them. Both in their most vulnerable place. What she didn’t know was that the sweet words they were exchanging, would change their life forever.

"I love you.“ He repeated to his now, fiancée.

[snarktheater]

Ready Player Two — Opening Cutscene & Chapter 0

Hello again.

It’s been a while. I haven’t been active on this blog since, fittingly enough, Ready Player One. I was going to do this sooner—even had an alarm set up and everything—but then, it turns out, I’m feeling so much negativity about the world in general that a book just pales in comparison.

Seriously, I had to scrap this post’s entire intro because it’s not even 2020 anymore as I write this. And you know, maybe that’s for the best. I’m not really in the mood for doom and gloom and bitching anymore. I uninstalled Twitter from my phone a while back, I’ve been doing good at my daily writing sprints, my biggest fanfic project concluded on a positive note from people I didn’t even realize had been following it for years.

So I don’t know what this is going to be like. My commentary, I mean; I’ve heard echoes of what the book is like, so I’m not expecting a surprise there.

The book opens right after the end of Ready Player One, in a “Cutscene” where Wade recounts to us what happened after he won Halliday’s contest. It also assumes you remember exactly who the main characters of the book are, which is a bold move for a sequel that came out almost a decade after the original.

Technically, I could just look up the details I’m fuzzy about. But also, I think it’s more authentic if I don’t. I trust my memory enough that if I’m wrong, it’ll be in subtle enough ways that it’ll almost be a private jokes between all of us. An “if you know, you know” sort of error system. And I don’t think there’s anything more true to the spirit of this book than that.

Shoto had flown back home to Japan to take over operations at GSS’s Hokkaido division.

So Wade starts his tenure with nepotism. Wasn’t Shoto really young? Why is he qualified to run anything?

Aech was enjoying an extended vacation in Senegal, a country she’d dreamed of visiting her whole life, because her ancestors had come from there.

You know what, I’m not touching “send the token black character back to Africa.” This isn’t my lane.

And Samantha had flown back to Vancouver to pack up her belongings and say goodbye to her grandmother, Evelyn.

Why is she saying goodbye? Why, she’s moving to Columbus to be with Wade, of course! It’s not like there was anything else in her life. Was there? And why isn’t she referred to as Art3mis? I’m pretty sure Wade found out all of their offline names in the last book, and the inconsistency mildly bothers me.

These three sentences are back to back, by the way. Someone—I forget who—once described Ready Player One as a book that’s fun to write a wiki about, because it’s got fun concepts to summarize about until you realize that all the emotional connective tissue you need to turn a list of things into a story is missing, and that’s roughly how this first page feels.

Hell, the first line of the book is Wade telling us he remained offline for nine whole days after winning the contest, but by the end of the second paragraph we’re already to him logging back into the OASIS to "distract himself from [his and Samantha’s] reunion.

I’ll give Ernest Cline one thing: it feels like he wrote this opening nine days after the first book and did about as much maturing as a teenage boy would do between the two books.

Way more time is spent describing Wade’s OASIS rig, or the in-game planet where the climax of the last book happened, than anything else in this introduction. He is immediately greeted by a crowd of adoring fans who have been waiting over a week for him to come back in the game, because they’re all grateful that our protagonist and his friends restored their avatars after they were annihilated by the Sixers.

You’d think the adoring fans would serve some kind of purpose, or that something would happen, but no. Wade immediately goes “ew, people” and teleports away, since he essentially has ultimate powers within the game. With a caveat: the powers are actually coming from the Robes of Anorak he’s wearing, and I’m mentioning that in the hopes that it will pay off sometime in the book’s future, assuming Cline at least learned to do that. But still, let’s not skip too fast the fact that we introduced that crowd of adoring fans for no other purpose than to tell us they’re out there, because it fits right in with the last book’s attempts at saying as little as humanly possible in as many words as possible.

Anyway, Wade went back into Anorak’s study, where he arbitrarily checks out the Easter Egg he got at the end of the last book, and finds an inscription on it. I was dreading another riddle, but no, it’s just straight-up instructions to a vault in the GSS archives, so Wade logs off and goes to check it out.

Of course Halliday had put [the archives] [on the 13th floor]. In one of his favorite TV shows, Max Headroom, Network 23’s hidden research-and-development lab was located on the thirteenth floor. And The Thirteenth Floor was also the title of an old sci-fi film about virtual reality, released in 1999, right on the heels of both The Matrix and eXistenZ.

I’m equally shocked that it took two whole pages (on my ereader) to get to the first slew of references, and that one of these references is from 1999. I didn’t know we were allowed to think of anything that isn’t the 80s. Speaking of which, I’ll spare you the whole paragraph, but the book does feel the need to explain why it’s vault 42.

Inside the vault, there’s another egg containing a super-fancy and advanced OASIS headset. The egg also has a video monitor that plays a video message from James Halliday shortly before his death.

But despite his condition, he hadn’t used his OASIS avatar to record this message like he had with Anorak’s Invitation. For some reason, he’d chosen to appear in the flesh this time, under the brutal, unforgiving light of reality.

That oh-so-important message? An infodump about the headset’s working. He called it an OASIS Neural Interface, ONI for short. It basically lets you experience the OASIS through all your senses with sensory input just like the real thing, you know, that thing Wade had to get a fancy suit and massive rig to do in the first book. And yes, Wade does spend a paragraph or two comparing it to other works of science fiction. Of course he does.

More importantly, it also records all the sensory input into a separate file, which can then be replayed over to re-experience said sensations, or live someone else’s experiences. Halliday tries to frame it as a tool to generate communication and empathy, seemingly all without acknowledging the potential creepiness of that. But hey. Who knows. Maybe that’s because this is the setup stage, and it’ll pay off eventually.

I also wondered about the name Halliday had chosen for his invention. I’d seen enough anime to know that oni was also a Japanese word for a giant horned demon from the pits of hell.

Add “reducing Japan to anime” to the list of things the book has failed to improve upon. By the way, the narration insisted on spelling out ONI letter by letter earlier, so it’s weird to make that link now. It’s also just kind of inelegant to just tell us “this is the symbolism behind the name”, but that’s just the sort of thing I’ve come to expect from this book.

Anyway, the reason Halliday kept this for his successor to find is he wants Wade to test out the technology and decide if humanity is ready for it. Why Halliday thinks the most glorified pop culture trivia / video game competition qualifies you for such a decision should be a problem, but sadly, a lot of billionaires have said and done a lot of dumb and eerily similar things in the past few years since I read Ready Player One, so actually, I can’t fault the book for that one. Tragically, our fates really are in the hands of people who should rightfully be cartoon villains.

To his credit, Wade does question Halliday’s motives in keeping this under wraps at all rather than releasing it himself. So hey, maybe it really is setting something up.

Wade goes back to his office with the ONI, and we’re treated with this lovely piece of narration:

I was grateful that Samantha wasn’t there. I didn’t want to give her the opportunity to talk me out of testing the ONI. Because I was worried she might try to, and if she did, she would’ve succeeded. (I’d recently discovered that when you’re madly in love with someone they can persuade you to do pretty much anything.)

There’s a lot to unpack about the implications this has for their relationship, but it’s way too early in the book for me to editorialize when one character hasn’t even been on the page yet. So I’ll just leave it here for the record. Hopefully you see the problem without me needing to point it out anyway. If not, feel free to hit my inbox.

So Wade, confident in the fact that Halliday would have warned him if there were any risks to using the ONI, decides to try it out. Even though he immediately follows up that statement with this:

According to the ONI documentation, forcibly removing the headset while it was in operation could severely damage the wearer’s brain and/or leave them in a permanent coma. So the titanium-reinforced safety bands made certain this couldn’t happen. I found this little detail comforting instead of unsettling. Riding in an automobile was risky, too, if you didn’t wear your seatbelt…

Wade. My dude. What the fuck is this simile. And why don’t you see that maybe a machine where you’re forcibly trapping yourself inside a virtual reality might be dangerous? Hell, when I said this was setting something up, I was expecting something vaguely interesting about the potential breach of privacy, or how you don’t need to literally walk in someone’s shoes to feel empathy for them, or anything substantial, but now I’m worried it’ll just end up as “man, sometimes science fiction machines will scramble your brain, isn’t that weird”?

Like, I don’t know, to me “it will put you in a coma” sounds like a good reason for Halliday not to release the ONI. Maybe we can still make it into a commentary on how corporations will sell stuff they know is directly harmful if it can make them a profit. Who knows.

The book waffles on about more risks, and the mechanics of how the ONI activates, and the warning disclaimer when it does turn on. Specifically, there’s a time limit of twelve consecutive hours, after which you’ll be automatically logged out, because yes, using the thing for too long can also cause brain damage.

Gregarious Simulation Systems will not be held responsible for any injuries caused by improper use of the OASIS Neural Interface.

See, now there’s the sort of thing that could be a source for commentary, but no, instead it’s thrown in there like it’s nothing and Wade glosses over the entire warning, and instead keep wondering why Halliday didn’t just release the ONI if even the safety disclaimers were in place.

By the way: this whole system has apparently gone through several independent human trials already, so I’m finding it hard to imagine that it’s actually a secret Halliday took to the grave as Wade says. Unless he also had everyone involved in those trials killed afterwards. Or maybe they all ended up with brain damage which rendered them incapable of talking about it.

And before you think I’m being unfair and maybe we’re supposed to understand that ourselves even if the protagonist doesn’t, I’ll remind you that the book didn’t trust its reader to know what the number 42 is a reference to, or what an oni is, even though I don’t think anyone in the target audience wouldn’t know about these two things.

There’s also the fact that, since this book came out, a video game did release with a scene intentionally designed to cause seizures, and it had countless fans flocking to defend it over that fact. So you’ll have to excuse me if I’m not assuming this book’s stance on whether your video game console causes brain damage and possibly coma is actually a bad thing, or just an acceptable risk.

Wade certainly seems to think so, since he agrees to the terms of service.

As the timestamp faded away, it was replaced by a short message, just three words long—the last thing I would see before I left the real world and entered the virtual one. But they weren’t the three words I was used to seeing. I—like every other ONI user to come—was greeted by a new message Halliday had created, to welcome those visitors who had adopted his new technology: READY PLAYER TWO

Well now that’s just silly.

And that’s our opening cutscene. And while this post is already long enough, I feel like I have to go on to chapter 0, because it feels like barely anything has happened so far. We didn’t even introduce any new character motivation or conflict, or a mystery to set the plot into motion, unless I’m supposed to think “why didn’t Halliday release this?” counts.

So Wade is back into the OASIS, and tells us about how much more real it all feels thanks to the ONI. I especially have to question how he can smell or taste anything—both of which he tells us he can. Like, who coded that? Did Halliday implement every single smell and taste himself, without anyone noticing? I hope you don’t need me to tell you that’s not typically how features are added to a large-scale video game.

If it feels like I’m nitpicking at the logic of the book, even though I always say I’m not very interested in that and would rather talk themes, it’s because I am, because there isn’t much else to discuss so far. Wade is happy about tasting virtual fruit. That’s the scene.

He tests out if he can feel pain, but no, the ONI reduces pain (a gunshot is translated as “a hard pinch”). On one hand, good, it would be a nightmare otherwise. On the other hand, I sort of hope there’s a setting for that in there, because otherwise, you just lost an entire clientele of kinksters.

This was it—the final, inevitable step in the evolution of videogames and virtual reality. The simulation had now become indistinguishable from real life.

Ah, now we have some juicy themes. Because if you think this is the inevitable final step in the evolution of video games, I invite you to look at literally any other art form, and what happened to them once hyperrealism became easy. Hint: they didn’t stop evolving, because it turns out realism isn’t the only goal one can achieve with art.

The realism discussion is not a new one in video games, mind you. In case you’re out of the loop: most of the big-budget blockbuster games (“AAA” as they’re known) are aiming for hyperrealism nowadays, and it results in development teams being forced to work in horrible conditions (known with the equally horrible euphemism of “crunch”). And, because it turns out that 1) humans working themselves to the bones isn’t healthy and 2) racing for realism with little to no vision besides it makes for poor creativity, a lot of these games come out as disappointments. Oh, there are hordes of Gamers™ who will defend them to the bitter end, but inevitably, in the months following release, the defense cools off while the criticism keeps on going, because the defense was a knee-jerk reaction born of a mix of people hyping themselves up for a game they hadn’t seen that much of yet, then attaching a part of their identity to liking that thing.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that this throwaway line feels like it comes from someone who is so out of touch as to accidentally support a world view that has in fact resulted in the biggest part of the industry stagnating artistically while growing more toxic for the people working in it. All the while, more and more independent games come out every year, proving that that realism is nowhere near the most important thing to making a game good, and that you can achieve much better results with a small team.

What I’m trying to say is: watch Jim Sterling’s channel, they’ve been bleeding out subscribers since they came out as nonbinary and make much better commentary on this topic than I could, and play Hades.

Back to the book, which sadly hasn’t become any more interesting since I decided to go on a tangent. Wade tests the ONI functions some more, all the while musing on how he knows Samantha would disapprove but that he doesn’t care, because what loving relationship doesn’t consist of that?

Among the functions, he tries the ONI files, the aforementioned recordings of someone else’s experiences. Specifically, a woman, which Wade tells us by telling us he suddenly has breasts, I suppose because Ernest Cline saw that subreddit about men writing women and went “I want a piece of that”. Oh, and also, those sample files were recorded from real people, in the real world. And yes, this goes exactly where you think it does.

SEX-M-F.oni, SEX-F-F.oni, and SEX-Nonbinary.oni

Look, I actually started writing a complaint about the boobs thing, and I deleted it, but now Cline is doing it on purpose. So, here goes: I saw a quote from this book on Twitter that looked like Cline attempting to make up for Wade’s casual transphobia in the first book. It wasn’t good, but it at least sounded like he was trying. So to immediately get this is…a lot? Let’s go for a lot.

I can almost excuse the use of “M” and “F”. You gotta name your files and you could excuse a non-exhaustive list. But…nonbinary? On one hand, I want to know what Cline means. On the other hand, I don’t think he can come up with an answer I’ll find satisfactory.

We are thankfully spared from finding out because Wade has just lost his virginity to Samantha a few days ago and he’s 1) not ready for this and 2) pretty sure this counts as cheating. You could make a case that this is more like porn, but I can see that this is more of a personal distinction anyway, and I can respect that one. Plus, you know. I don’t want to find out.

Wade logs off, and he can’t tell the difference between the OASIS with the ONI, and decides this will change the world. And then it’s back to the “how did he do it and keep it a secret”, even though Wade now finds out in the documentation that this had been in development for twenty-five years, basically since the OASIS launched. So it’s not really that it’s a secret, so much as there are a lot of people under very strict NDAs out there. Or, again, they’re all dead and/or otherwise incapacitated.

The ONI is the product of the Accessibility Research Lab, and Wade tells us about other stuff that the lab has produced using similar technology, mostly for medical purposes.

GSS patented each of the Accessibility Research Lab’s inventions, but Halliday never made any effort to profit from them. Instead, he set up a program to give these neuroprosthetic implants away, to any OASIS users who could benefit from them. GSS even subsidized the cost of their implant surgery.

Look, it’s nice that you want Halliday to be the good guy through and through, but it’s kind of hard to take any social commentary seriously when you think this is how a billionaire is made. Hell, even when he shut down the lab and fired its entire staff, he gave them a big enough severance package to set them for life. You know. Capitalism!

Hey, remember when Samantha said she was going to end world hunger if she won the contest, a thing billionaires right now could be doing, but aren’t, and she is now the co-owner of GSS? Yeah, I kind of hope the book remembers that too.

Speaking of the co-owners, the book just completely skips over the debate that our four main characters have over whether or not to release the ONI to the world. All we know is that they voted, and the vote goes in favor of releasing it. I mean, why have characters who could have opinions and feelings that could create a discussion? That might make us care about them! And who wants to care about characters in a story?

We put them on sale at the lowest possible price, to make sure as many people as possible could experience the OASIS Neural Interface for themselves.

What exactly is “the lowest possible price” here? Your company literally owns money. Like, OASIS money is real money. There is literally nothing stopping you from giving them away, especially because what you’re giving away is access to the platform you’re already running for a profit.

It’s almost like, even trying to make “good billionaires” out of its protagonists, the book can’t stop and actually make them significantly good.

Oh, I should mention. If you thought my Ready Player One review was angry at capitalism, wait until you see what the past couple years have done to me.

Anyway, once they his 7,777,777 simultaneous ONI users, a new riddle shows up on Halliday’s website. Because yep: our plot is apparently not about the implications of releasing the ONI, or any of the potential ideological discussions associated with that, it’s another riddle. Oh boy, do I wish I’d known that.

Seek the Seven Shards of the Siren’s Soul On the seven worlds where the Siren once played a role For each fragment my heir must pay a toll To once again make the Siren whole

I cannot wait to have the book give me just not enough information to solve the riddle until it’s solved by the book itself. That was so much fun the other…what was it, five times? Six times? Something like that. Wade already tells us the Siren might be Kira Morrow, because her alias was named after one of the sirens of Greek myth, so I can’t wait for that plot point to stick around. It was so fun to hear all about this man pining for another man’s wife the first time!

So this is the “Shard Riddle”. People are apparently convinced it was made by Wade and his crew as a publicity stunt, but of course, they know that that isn’t the case, and they also don’t know what that riddle is supposed to lead to. So, that’s great. We have a puzzle, and we also don’t know what the stakes are. All we know is that Wade wants to solve the puzzle essentially because it’s a challenge.

We skip over a year, and Wade tells us about how IOI collapses and gets absorbed by GSS because of the ONI’s launch. Remember IOI? They were the bad guys, so I guess we have to cheer?

GSS absorbed IOI and all of its assets, transforming us into an unstoppable megacorporation with a global monopoly on the world’s most popular entertainment, education, and communications platform.To celebrate, we released all of IOI’s indentured servants and forgave their outstanding debts.

On one hand: good for the slave. On the other hand: not gonna cheer for a monopoly, you guys.

Another year’s skip, and now 99% of the OASIS users are using the ONI, and yes, that includes trading their experiences with one another too. And I guess we’re still hand-waving any possible problems associated with that technology, because the technology is made so that all recordings must be shared and played through the OASIS.

This allowed us to weed out unsavory or illegal recordings before they could be shared with other users.

How? Do you know any of the problems associated with content moderations on the current platforms? I don’t know if I want to point to Youtube’s extremely faulty algorithm, Twitter’s complete apathy towards its Nazis, or Facebook doing moderation by making underpaid staff watch all potentially problematic content, which resulted in serious psychological damage to said staff.

You can’t just say that as if it solved everything. The chapter later says this is handled by an AI called “CenSoft”, and as an AI engineer myself, let me tell you: this is not going to work. Again: Youtube is the way it is for a reason.

It also let us maintain our monopoly on what was rapidly becoming the most popular form of entertainment in the history of the world.

And again, monopolies are totally a good thing as long as it’s in the right hands!

When I’m implying that the book does not care for any of these potential problems, I mean it. These enormous ethical issues are sidestepped in cold narratin, and we just keep going on introducing new slang that I hate, but have to quote so help you keep up.

“Sims” were recordings made inside the OASIS, and “Recs” were ONI recordings made in reality. Except that most kids no longer referred to it as “reality.” They called it “the Earl.” (A term derived from the initialism IRL.) And “Ito” was slang for “in the OASIS.” So Recs were recorded in the Earl, and Sims were created Ito.

There. You have been infodumped.

In the midst of all this (still extremely dry) exposition about how this changed media, we also get this tidbit:

You could take any drug, eat any kind of food, and have any kind of sex, without worrying about addiction, calories, or consequences.

Now, I was going to rant about this, but then, a page later, this happens and spares me the trouble:

I’d struggled with OASIS addiction before the ONI was released. Now logging on to the simulation was like mainlining some sort of chemically engineered superheroin.

So, you are aware that addiction isn’t just possible, but extremely facilitated by this. But sure, no worries! It’s perfectly safe! Because our protagonists are good.

Also, remember how the last book ended on a weak attempt at having a moral that maybe the real world is good, actually? Yeah, Wade tells us the ONI helps poor people live enjoyable lives in the OASIS. So. Fuck that message, I guess. It only applies if you’re the literal wealthiest man on Earth.

And me? All my dreams had come true. I’d gotten stupidly rich and absurdly famous. I’d fallen in love with my dream girl and she had fallen in love with me. Surely I was happy, right? Not so much, as this account will show.

Aside from the aforementioned returning OASIS affiction, there’s the Shard riddle that Wade is now obsessed with, to the point of offering a billion-dollar reward to anyone with information about the riddle’s answer.

I announced this reward with a stylized short film that I modeled after Anorak’s Invitation. I hoped it would seem like a lighthearted play on Halliday’s contest instead of a desperate cry for help. It seemed to work.

On one hand: good, Wade finally has a character flaw that the book actually acknowledges as a character flaw. I can work with that. On the other hand: this is all told to me in such a dispassionate that I am dreading how the book will handle this character flaw. Which is to say, I’m not expecting it to be very good.

(For a brief time, some of the younger, more idealistic shard hunters referred to themselves as “shunters” to differentiate themselves from their elder counterparts. But when everyone began to call them “sharters” instead, they changed their minds and started to call themselves gunters too. The moniker still fit. The Seven Shards were Easter eggs hidden by Halliday, and we were all hunting for them.)

Especially when this is something the narration feels is more important to tell me about.

Anyway, skip another year, and a gunter finally leads Wade to the First Shard. Solved that riddle, I guess. And wait, wasn’t part of why IOI was ~evil~ in the first book that they were paying people to find the Easter Egg for them? How is this any different, Wade?

And when I picked it up, I set in motion a series of events that would drastically alter the fate of the human race. As one of the only eyewitnesses to these historic events, I feel obligated to give my own written account of what occurred. So that future generations—if there are any—will have all the facts at their disposal when they decide how to judge my actions.

And that is the end of our chapter 0. And can I just say: what a mess already. I don’t think my snark can properly convey how utterly devoid of emotion this book’s writing is, and that alone is honestly more of a turn-off than anything else in the book so far. Even, knowing that I railed about it in the first book, I still feel newly unprepared for it. And it’s not like this double-prologue is making me hopeful that the book will show an ounce more critical thinking—or decent fucking humanity towards marginalized groups—as its predecessor.

So, that’s a lot to look forward to! For the sake of my sanity and schedule, don’t expect me to do such big posts every time. I’ll probably do one chapter a week from now on, if that. We’re in for a long ride, but I hope it’s worth it, at least.

[recentanimenews]

RECS: Want to Watch Old Anime? Discotek Has You Covered

Every anime season brings a new roster of hits, but the shows of the past recede into the distance. Certainly, there are some exceptions and niche fans keep the spirit of ongoing series like Gundam alive. But with the continued emphasis on new and exciting anime, it’s tempting to forget the multitude of great shows and movies that already exist.   The Discotek label has fought consistently over the past several years to ensure that anime’s past is preserved. Run by industry stalwarts, they’ve done the impossible time and time again: they tracked down the masters of cult OVA Project A-Ko, painstakingly restored the 2001 remake of Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier from thousands of damaged tapes, and much of their best stuff is now available for streaming.

  If you’re looking for something a little different or simply looking for a new show to watch, why not travel back into anime’s past? Here are some great TV series and movies as enjoyable today as they were when they were produced.

  These are just my own recommendations, picked from the great sea of Discotek titles. But if you want to explore further, and check out titles including real-life inspiration on Yoko Taro, Sister Princess, you can find their shared Crunchyroll catalog list here.

  Note: The titles listed are largely only available in the United States and Canada.

  Movie Night

  Urusei Yatsura Movie 2: Beautiful Dreamer

    One of the best-known anime directors ever, Mamoru Oshii first made his mark with an outrageously popular animated sitcom: Urusei Yatsura, the series that put the queen of romantic comedy manga Rumiko Takahashi on the map. Oshii struck a balance throughout the TV series between hilarious comedy and experimentation, but it was in the second Urusei Yatsura film, Beautiful Dreamer, that he really went all out. This surreal time loop story keeps finding new ways to defy audience expectations throughout its runtime both as an atypical Urusei Yatsura tale as well as a sterling example of just how imaginative and ground-breaking the Urusei Yatsura anime could be at its best.

  GoShogun: The Time Etranger

    GoShogun: The Time Etranger is that classic anime standby: a film completely different in tone and content than the franchise that spawned it. Released four years after the original 1981 super robot series, The Time Etranger spends much of its runtime focused on the dreams and anxieties of sole female cast member Remy as she lies in a coma at the hospital. Examining “what happens after” a final super robot fight, it remains an enjoyable film with smarter writing than you’d expect.  The Time Etranger is also a notable favorite of the great 80sanime Tumblr.

  Night on the Galactic Railroad

    Kenji Miyazawa’s novel Night on the Galactic Railroad might be best known to English-speaking audiences as a reference point for anime like Mawaru Penguindrum and Galaxy Express 999, but in truth, it’s one of the most beloved Japanese children’s stories ever written. An anime film adaptation was released in 1985, directed by the famed Gisaburo Sugii and scored by Yellow Magic Orchestra member Haruomi Hosono. Also, the characters are all drawn as cats! While slow-paced, it’s a strong adaptation that captures the charming and whimsical spirit of the original novel.

  Other Discotek movie recommendations:

All the other 6 Urusei Yatsura movies

Jin Roh

Like the Clouds, Like the Wind

Ringing Bell

  Mecha

  Giant Gorg

    Folks talk up director Yoshiyuki Tomino as the key creative force behind the original Gundam. But don’t forget Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, the talented character designer behind both Mobile Suit Gundam and Zeta Gundam. His most personal anime project is Giant Gorg, the story of a young boy who stumbles across a giant robot on a mysterious island. Rather than a Gundam-style war narrative, Giant Gorg is a proper adventure story in which the young cast spring from cliffhanger to cliffhanger. A white whale in American anime fandom for years, it was finally licensed for distribution in the United States in 2015. Don’t forget this fantastic mash-up between the Giant Gorg OP and the Perfect Strangers theme!

    Mazinger Edition Z

    In Mazinger Edition Z, cult-favorite director Yasuhiro Imagawa reimagines Go Nagai’s classic robot series to create a unified setting packed with pulpy thrills and conspiracies: The giant robot Mazinger has a past history involving the Greek god Zeus! The villain Baron Ashura is recontextualized as a deeply tragic villain with the best story arc in the series! We’re even given Tsubasa Nishikori, a Go Nagai staple who here becomes Imagawa’s best-written female character! 

  Mazinger Z is absolutely suffused with the spirit that made Imagawa’s earlier masterpiece Giant Robo so beloved and is an essential watch for any fan of that series. Not to mention that it ends with a cliffhanger brutal enough to make Go Nagai jealous.

  Other Discotek mech recommendations:

Dai-Guard

Gunbuster 2

Tetsujin 28

  Comedy

  Cromartie High School

    Anime comedies speak to the time that they were made, but there’s something uniquely timeless about Cromartie High School. You could say the show is funny because it’s set in a high school whose roster of delinquents includes a robot, Freddie Mercury, and a gorilla. But I think it goes even further than that: Cromartie High School is funny because its rowdy delinquents live lives just as boring as our own. When I watch Cromartie High School, I think not “what weirdos!” but “same, bro.” True in 2003, true in 2021.

  Other Discotek comedy recommendations:

Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan

Cat Girl Nuku Nuku

Golden Boy

Samurai Pizza Cats

  Drama

  Key the Metal Idol

    Key the Metal Idol is a truly weird series. Directed and written by Hiroaki Sato, one of three animation directors who brought anime film masterpiece Akira to life, it’s the story of an android tasked by her creator to become human by making 30,000 friends. It’s a series that skewers the entertainment industry but is also loaded down with science fiction exposition. It’s a series that’s deeply in love with the work of David Lynch. Key the Metal Idol is flawed and idiosyncratic, but it’s also a genre-busting original far ahead of its time. And the opening credit sequence rules.

  The Twelve Kingdoms

    Fantasy anime are a dime a dozen these days, but for my money, no recent title comes close to The Twelve Kingdoms. The series has its share of magical creatures, epic duels, and even more elaborate fantasy worldbuilding than you can shake a sword at. But most of all, it’s a story about people and growth. Twelve Kingdoms puts its cast of scared teenagers in a crucible and subjects them to intense pressure until those teenagers realize, to their shock and genuine awe, that they can handle anything the world throws at them. Twelve Kingdoms deserves consideration along with Berserk as one of the greatest works of epic fantasy that animation has to offer.

  Other Discotek drama recommendations:

Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting!

Honey and Clover

Kaiba

True Tears

  What are your favorite older anime? Is there an anime BluRay or DVD you treasure most? Let us know in the comments!

    Adam W is a Features Writer at Crunchyroll. When he is not evangelizing Kaiba to his friends and neighbors, he sporadically contributes with a loose group of friends to a blog called Isn't it Electrifying? You can find him on Twitter at:@wendeego

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a feature, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: Adam Wescott

[prose-for-hire]

Evil personified

Pairing: Spike x male!reader

Request: Hey there! First of all: I LOVE YOUR BLOG AND YOUR WORK! IT. IS. AWESOME. secondly, i would humbly like to request a little piece about spike trzing to act all bad and dangerous to impress his boyfriend/girlfriend (Its pride month! But write whatever you like better) but he/she is all like, stop the charade i know you are a softie

Requested by: @therapieliteratur​

A/N: It’s fluffy. Hope this is okay!! Happy Pride Month!

Spike had asked you to be his boyfriend in his characteristic way, laying his heart out for you after a lot of pining. You had gladly reciprocated his love, not even having the heart to tease him over how soft he was for you, because you felt exactly the same.

That was over a year ago now, but he still liked to walk around, whispering in your ear how much he loved you when there was nobody around. Sometimes, the things he said were so soft you swore you saw his sallow complexion blush at the way you made him feel. You found it hard to believe that this was the vampire you had been introduced to as being ‘William the bloody’ a slayer of Slayers. He loved to impress you with stories of his past, often trying to one-up himself on tales of how bad he could be. It was strange, you couldn’t help love him for the way his eyes lit up when he spoke about it.

You and Spike were walking hand-in-hand through the streets, his hands entwined with yours. It was a brisk night and you had been looking for vamps for him to take on, he loved to get his teeth into a fight before you went back to the crypt and held each other. He didn’t think you noticed how he glanced sideways at you every so often, just so he could look at you. Another thing he liked to do, when he wasn’t glancing at you, was glaring at passers-by. He especially enjoyed glaring if anybody stared for longer than he deemed necessary - it was one of his favourite things.

Some people walked past in a little group, and he started to talk loudly in an exaggerated way about killing people. You realised it made sense when the group happened to be an acquaintance of yours, Buffy Summers, and her group of friends. She was a Slayer, which is why Spike started to talk of his ‘glory days’ perhaps a little too enthusiastically considering you were human.

“Did I tell you the time – Boxer Rebellion – where I managed to bag my first slayer?” He all but shouted, his loving gaze on you but his peripheral was definitely checking if they gasped in horror.

“Yeah, only the ten times this week” You smiled, kissing his cheek as he looked a little put-out. You grinned at him as he gave you a look. He had told you that he needed to look tough in front of them, but you couldn’t help it, he got cute when he started bragging. And he enjoyed bragging, a lot.

They left, knowing it was mostly bravado as you did. You muttered this to him, which made him raise an eyebrow, but he kept walking until you came to a graveyard with a large demon stood growling in the corner. Taking this as the perfect opportunity to prove how tough he was to you and maybe even impress you in the process, he led you to a brick wall for you to stand against – you had helped dust a few vampires earlier that night and you were tired from the action.

“Wait there” he smirked, kissing the back of your hand before stalking over to the demon, tapping him on the shoulder and swinging him around.

The demon was almost double the height of Spike but this didn’t stop him posturing and glaring the way he had gotten a reputation for. He started to rile the demon up, really going for it after it made a run at you.

“Eyes off my bloke you bloody-”

You just stood back, eyebrows raised and arms crossed as you looked on. It was hard to fear Spike when you knew he had ‘nightmares’ about drowning in footwear. Also, he had written you the most delicate, loving poems you had ever come across. You sighed, leaning against the wall and watching as he fought the demon. You yawned a little, you had been up all day in Spike’s crypt and now you were walking around at night with him, but you wanted to spend as much waking time with each other as you could.

He came sauntering back over to you, dusting his hands off, posturing as if his masculinity was restored due to the fight alone.

“You see that, love? Took a right chunk out of the bugger” He said, jumping slightly as the fight had amped him up a little.

“I’m proud” You smiled, before adding, “Although, that was very tough talk for someone who makes me remove the spiders from your crypt” you teased.

He raised his eyebrow, closing the space between you, his arms either side of you, palms on the wall you were leaning against as he tried his menacing scowl on a new target. You were about to tease him again for his tough-guy act, telling him he knew how soft he was, but Spike moved in and kissed you on the nose before pushing himself from the wall with a little smile. He started to walk away, his hand out behind him waiting for you to follow and weave your hands with his.

[animebw]

You know, it’s been just over a month since I technically went on hiatus, and the thought occurs to me that I haven’t exactly, like, been on hiatus. I’ve been regularly watching anime movies and writing up my thoughts on them, usually without skipping days in between. No one asked me to do it. I could’ve just hunkered down for a month and watched nothing but seasonals. I could’ve written no analyses and gone on an actual break. And yet, here I am, still producing content on a fairly consistent basis. Why?

The answer is honestly really simple: because it’s fun.

When I think back to how burned out I was getting by the end of last year, it’s clear my issue was that I was treating this blog as an obligation. It was something I thought I had to do, and that made it a chore to actually do. But the reason I started The Anime Binge-Watcher in the first place wasn’t to give myself obligations. It was to make watching anime more fun. It was to watch shows that I wanted to watch and get more enjoyment out of them by sharing my thoughts. Don’t get me wrong, you guys are all great, but at the end of the day, even if you all vanished overnight, I would still write for this blog because it’s what I want to do.

And that’s why I was getting so tired; I wasn’t watching the shows I wanted to watch. By resolving to get through every last show for my Summer of Suggestions, I ended up having to slog through a bunch of shows that just wasn’t interested in. Sure, there were pleasant surprises, and I got to whole lot of shows I’d wanted to check out for a while (Sangatsu no Lion was so goooooood), but especially at the tail end of my list, there was a lot of stuff I had to force myself to power through just to get it done. And that wasn’t good for me or the people who’d requested them. If I feel like I’m watching something because I have to instead of because I want to, there’s no way I can give it a fair shot, and I’m just going to disappoint the people who requested them with half-assed analysis.

But now that I’m free from that? Now that I’m burning through my anime movie backlog on my own terms because I genuinely want to check these movies out? I can feel my energy to analyze being restored, and it feels great. Even when the movies themselves disappoint, the process of writing about them is once again rewarding in itself. And I can’t tell you how relieving that is. Through good times and bad, this blog has been one of the better parts of my life for almost three years now, and I’m not ready to give it up just yet. I just need to make sure that from now on, I genuinely want to watch the shows and movies I tackle. Because that’s the only way I can be the anime binge-watcher I want to be.

What that means for future Summers of Suggestions, I don’t know. What I do know is that I don’t think I can move forward with it a third time until I’ve sorted out how I want to run it. I’m truly sorry about that; I know how much fun you guys have recommending me shows to watch and seeing me fall in love with your favorites. But I don’t want to risk what happened last year happening again. I’ll have to think about how to run it without feeling obligated to take every suggestions I get. Maybe I’ll make it a Patreon thing or something. We’ll have to see. For now, though, I think I’m gonna stick with my own choices and my own lists. I hope you can all accept that.

And hey, you can still recommend me shows to watch! They’ll just go on my regular lists or backlog instead of my definite “I will watch this” slate.

Anyway, all this is to say that I think I’m about ready to start things up again. I’ve got a couple more movies to watch, and I want to finish up Deen/Stay Night, but I can work those into my regular schedule. Let’s be all nice and neat and say I’ll officially come back on February 1, two days from now. What will I be watching? Well, there’s a metric buttload of sequels and new shows from the past couple years I need to catch up on. And I’ll fill you in on all the details when I officially come back. See you then!

[everyhowlmarksthedead]

@rebelwrites ✨

When I opened this blog, I would never thought I could find someone like you. You're the most kind, lovely, funny and badass person ever. We started talking because of our language problems, sharing spanish-english translations, and you have become an important person to me. We're talking the whole damn day, about writings, about Mayans, about SOA, making jokes and having fun. You have helped me whenever I had a mental breakdown, giving me all the support on the world, and I couldn't be more proud of calling you my friend. Sending you a big hug with a lot of love from Spain, I will let you read why I wrote for you. And I just hope you have the best birthday ever surrounded by your friends, family and Kiwi. I love you, my lil slut ❤✨

When Heather wakes up lonely on her birthday morning, she's confused. And a little bit pissed, waiting to do it surrounded by Jax arms. She palms his side of the mattress to check that it's cold, so he probably had to leave the house for some club shit. Putting on her glasses and stepping out from the bed, she walks out of their shared room wearing nothing but one of his large black shirts. Grabbing the fabric in a fist, she takes a deep breath feeling less lonely as Jax's scent fills up his lungs. But some strange noises inside the kitchen push her out of his bubble.

Arching a brown eyebrow over the glasses, pulling the blonde locks of hair to a side, she sticks out her head off the frame to find Happy fighting with the coffeemaker.

“Son of a bitch… I'm going to fucking ki—”.

“Open the lash on the top and put the capsule inside”.

The man stares at her in silence, as if she talked to him in another language. Rolling her eyes, Heather takes some steps closer to follow the same instructions she had given him literally two seconds ago. He is fascinated.

“So, what are you doing here?”

“Birthday”. He replies, as he points himself.

Squinting until she gets the joke, she can't help but break into loud laughs, scaring Happy for a moment because he wasn't expecting. Scaring. Happy.

“Jax asked me to pick you up”.

“No, thanks. I don't wanna die”.

“But you have to come with me”.

“For what?”

Nothing. Not a single word. He has already met his quota of conversation for the rest of the day. When the coffee is ready and the man is going to take the mug, Heather is fast clicking her tongue repeatedly.

“Make yours, grown man”.

A growl escapes from his mouth, watching him close his hands in two fists.

After a warm shower fantasizing about what her husband has prepared for today, she is ready to wear some clothes before leaving. Excited and with a bunch of ideas running through his head, she puts on a pair of ripped jeans with a comfy white shirt under a black squared franel shirt and her favorite jacket leather. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she finishes the outfit with her favorite pair of camel Timberland boots. Jax has tried a thousand times to convince her of changing them for a new pair, but she refuses, keeping that pair because it was the first gift that he made her.

Getting out from her room, tying up her hair on a messy bun and grabbing her bag, she follows Happy to the outside. Putting on the helmet, knowing that she will have to re-make her hairstyle, Heather sits behind the man not sure if it's a good idea; questioning herself why she can't simply drive her red Ford Fiesta to wherever they're going.

And she is starting to understand it after reaching the racing circuit in the surroundings of Charming. Jackson is already there, resting his body against a long car covered by a black sleeve. The smile on his face grows a little more when the president can make eye-contact with her. Jumping out from Happy's bike and giving him back the helmet, they meet halfway. Jax doesn't doubt, welcoming her between his arms and filling up her face with a bunch of tender kisses.

“Happy birthday, wifey”. His tone of voice is full of happiness and love, placing an arm over Heather's shoulders. “Ready to open your present?”

“Isn't this place too public to take off your jeans?”

The loud laughter that Jax utters makes her giggle. It's not like she can avoid these kinds of comments with someone like her husband.

“C'mon, lil slut”. He hums leading her to the car.

With nervous fingers, she pulls the cover out to the floor. Her heart races too fast, alternating her attention between the present and the man proudly smiling by her side. An immaculate red Mustang Shelby GT500 of '65, with two white strips crossing the whole body. Freshly restored just for her. Her dream car. Heather has talked about it like a hundred times with Jax, but she would never have thought that his husband could find one and all the pieces and original spare parts to tune it up.

She wants to say something, but her vocal cords look like they are freezed right now. Turning at the blonde man, starting to worry just in case she doesn't like the present, she practically jumps onto him. He can't help but cry. Since the first moment they two meet, the only thing that Jax has wanted is to make her happy. To make her laugh. To make her feel loved. To make her feel the most important person in his life. She is. For him, there's no one else but his amazing wife.

“Do you wanna ride it?” He murmurs into her ear, holding her tightly against his body. She nods in silence, she can't talk yet.

When the grip loosens, she takes off her glasses to clean the tears in her eyes, using the fist of the sleeve as her steps continue to her new stunning car. The smell of gingerbread fills her lungs, as soon as she opens the driver door, focusing her eyes on the air-freshener hanging from the rear view mirror. Jax can't help but break into loud laughter, as he sees her face looking at the item with a picture of him. Shirtless. The kinds of ideas that only he could have, obviously.

And it's like a damn fantasy. Not seeing her husband terrified on the copilot seat, but how fast her Mustang rides. Taking the curves like in a damn Daqar, almost putting it onto two wheels and speeding up on the long straight. The engine roars like a furious lion, vibrating the road under it. She loves the velocity. It makes her feel like the freedom after a lockdown. Heather has no words to explain it. But the happiness that runs her body is like touching the sky, with Eminem playing through the speakers just like in a dream.

And even if she thinks that the day wouldn't be better, her mind changes as soon as she reaches the yard of the clubhouse, driving her Mustang with Jax riding his bike by her side. A big birthday's banner welcomes her at Teller-Morrow. There are white balloons all around, the crew cheering her up with claps and whistles, before starting to sing to her.

Jax has been preparing it since a month ago, wanting it to be the perfect day just for his wifey. He would give her the moon, if she asks for it. Layla is the first one on hugging her, tightly and transmitting her all the love in the world; before being interrupted by the high-pitched barks of Kiwi. Of course, she should have been there too. Taking her best friend into her arms, receiving a bunch of dearly licks all around, Heather goes straight to Chibs and Opie to melt themselves into a big warm hug.

“Happe' berday', lass”.

“Hope you like what we did. We put on it our best”. Opie says about crying, seeing her so happy, aware that she deserves only good things in life.

“Yeah, but where's the pizza?” She asks with some chuckles, making them laugh.

“Next to the coffee, darling”.

Jackson takes her wife into his arms, leaving the poor Kiwi between their bodies not knowing who she has to lick now.

“Thank you for that, husby”. Heather pouts at him, looking at his god-damn-hot man through her eyelashes.

“You don't have to, my love. You know I would give my life for you, for seeing you smile. That's the only thing I want”. He replies, showing her that charming grin that makes her shake. “I love you more than anything, Heather. I can't imagine a day without making you happy. I can't imagine a fucking day without you”.

[arinlangdon]

reactions again. i have a lot to say and there’s nowhere better to dump it all than my online blog which i treat as a stream-of-consciousness public diary/liveblog of my love affair with this fictional character.

episode 7

ah yes, the memory headaches are back, sooner than ever. i hope this means FMC will be regaining her memories sooner in this route too. i think it would be more interesting to see her navigate a route while remembering everything about her life from before, for multiple reasons. after all, every route ended with that, so far, and we didn’t explore much about what that means. the route that centers on 2/3 of the triad seems like the perfect opportunity to do so.

so Arin used to have panic attacks, confirmed? precious anxiety baby

love the Humpty Dumpty bit

i love how they reference giving her the moon again. “I gave it to you, and it’ll ground you” and it’s a secret between her and them how they did it. augh, too romantic. (also, blush count for this set: 1)

“Yikes, do you even sleep?” i ask myself this every day, Jackie. does Arin ever use that plush-looking bed? a mystery for the ages. she’s right though, Arin is far too busy for their own good. they know everything except for the meaning of the word “relaxation”

i see we’re speaking in code now. i love Ever After Academy, the series where frogs are really head librarians and rabbits are actually cat-dog-rabbit-dragon-things, and men named Wolf aren’t actually werewolves

“Arin constantly skips meals due to being too busy” headcanon regretfully confirmed. Arin nO

“FMC is always trying weird new flavors of desserts” headcanon also confirmed lol. this girl, always so adventurous. but also, “better than getting the same thing every time”? it’s true, novelty is necessary. a woman after my own heart.

oh yes, now i can check “heart scene where you help Arin relax and have fun” off my wish list. right above that is “pluck the coffee right out of their hands, march them straight to bed and tuck them in, and maybe cuddle a bit”, and right below it is “plan a special date where you block off a full 24 hours of free time for Arin so you can spend the whole day together”. (Voltage, i have great ideas, hire me now)

Arin blush count: 2. oh look at these two shy idiots who can only dance around their feelings. surely they have to have some clue that their feelings are mutual? they keep trying to stop themselves from kissing the other. it’s driving me nuts. these fools! i push them together like a child pretending to make their dolls kiss.

episode 8

i’m sure they wrote in the explanation for the terrarium as it’s a holdover from Ezra’s route, but i think it’s funny to think that the siblings kept the terrarium all these years and Arin never knew about it. Arin ur not the only one with secrets

again, i do like how Arin keeps referencing the moon. moon rabbit. moon rabbit!!

oh here comes the angst from Arin keeping secrets from FMC for good reasons but not even being able to tell her the reasons. we all saw this coming from a mile away, but it still hurts. :(

wow i cannot wait to find out all of Arin’s secrets :D including their personal ones. (does that make me sound creepy? oops)

more dragon lore, and a debate between Nora and Lucas about dragons? yes please.

as an aside: i can’t believe it’s taken me this long to mention it, but i’m peeved at how the writing in this route keeps referring to Arin as “themselves” when they’re singular. “themself” may not be a familiar word, but it feels the most correct when referring to an individual. “herselves” and “himselves” isn’t a thing.

“Arin is a terrible singer” headcanon confirmed. Arin has a lovely voice but is a rubbish singer, i love it. keep the doors coming, Charlie, i’m on a roll today.

oh god, more embarrassing Arin stories, i am living for this. Arin blush count: 3, maybe 4. what exactly did they wind up on top of, FMC? do tell.

i cannot believe Arin has early 2000s boy band music on their phone. is this the real life? lmao this is probably the most surprising fact i’ve learned about them in this entire set, if not the whole route so far. Arin’s dignity: dropping like a stone. this is hilarious, i love it. god. seriously though, which song was it—

episode 9

can’t help but try to read ulterior motives into Jackie’s every move, and failing because we don’t know enough yet. trying to book a tutoring session with Arin, peeping into FMC’s house’s window, tipping off FMC about Darla’s scheming, being overly invested in the fairytale friends’ well-being? she’s the prime suspect for being the Big Bad of this route, and possibly the Queen of Hearts from the Alice duology, yet she hasn’t done anything outright villainous yet. she’s actually been fairly friendly and helpful. Jackie, what is your deal

Arin blush count: 5. wow careful Arin, your face will get stuck like that and you’ll pass out from lack of blood flow to the rest of your body

it’s still hard getting used to the knowledge that Arin is and was FMC’s best friend. it boggles my mind.

but also i want to imagine them as kiddos hanging out in her room and having fun. adorable. teen flashbacks when :’(

“you’re special to me” wow surefire arrow to my heart oof. Arin blush count: 6.

oh no, again with the holding back, you clods. you lovestruck idiots. you silly dumdums. being a 20-something and having feelings for your best friend is hard. it’s hard and nobody understands. :( when are they going to talk about this? when are they going to come out and say something?? normally FMC is much more straightforward than this, but i guess when it comes to a friendship you’ve cultivated for years, even the bravest people hesitate to rock the boat. but it’ll be all the more satisfying when they actually reach that point.

watching Arin put up the walls again, i can just hear them thinking “conceal, don’t feel”. “remove all magic, but leave the fun” ahahaha alright that’s enough

it’s nice to see FMC seeking out the company and advice of the fairytale trio in this route, especially Nora. those girls, always so close. she really is the only female friend FMC has, until Darla becomes her friend.

so much for hiding magic from MMC! cat’s out the bag sooner than i thought, and Arin’s not going to be happy about it. now they’re going to be pulling double duty trying to keep both siblings from a-sploding their heads by accident. poor Arin

did FMC explain the plan for making things right (whatever “things” are) and restoring their memories? or did she just leave them to wait it out indefinitely? oh no

[kunoichihatake]

pending requests 🌸

hey guys! so I saw this idea on @butterfly-showers‘s blog (she’s a sweetheart so go check her out!) and I thought it would be neat to incorporate on my blog too 🥰

requests are open, but please read my rules before requesting!

*please note that I will probably not be completing every request on this list. this is merely a list of what is currently in my inbox*

last updated: 6/29/2021, 6:08 pm est

currently pending: 22 fics/hcs and 8 abc asks

Key:

normal text = I have NOT started working on the request

italics = I am currently working on this request

bold and crossed out = this request is finished and is scheduled to post soon!

—————————————————————

fics

A short request or hc for a fem reader being the mother figure for naruto and sasuke like they even call her mom 🥺 anyways kakashi like reader and but she don’t know and like they both tease him for liking his mom 😂 (hopefully they get together)

Sasuke finding out that somebody else survived his clan? How would he react? Like would he try and date her to restore his clan and stuff??

Can you write something about touch starved Naruto having his s/o sleep over for the first time because i can’t stop thinking about that 🥺

Can I request Gaara x Reader head cannons where Gaara is sick and reader takes care of him,could it also include him being extremely sleepy and exhausted?

Ok so bare with me now, can I have like a fic where Naruto loved the reader and she left the village and then he moves on to marry Hinata but she comes back and he cheats on Hinata with the reader but like she’s clueless about naruto and Hinata marriage

Hello! Can I rq headcanons for Shisui's final words or moments with his s/o before he dies? Like he gives her a necklace or something so she can remember him and then gives Itachi a message to send her (you don't have to do this if you don't want too)

hi! I really love your stories and was wondering if you could write some kakashixreader where the mc is recovering from an abuse relationship with an ex and rediscovering love with him s2 just think that would be really sweet and I’ve been through some stuff anyway thanks even if you don’t! You’re really nice thank you for taking your time to listen to us s2 hope your doing fine

hi! Can i rq hcs for anbu kakashi getting jealous of shisui and y/ns relationship? like he thought his identity was limited to just being a shinobi until he saw y/n kissing shisui and he's over here like, "Danm,I just wanna be loved like that?

So I saw your fake dating post and I would LOVE a reader insert/fake dating with Shikamaru. I haven’t seen anything like it. 🥺

Hcs of Madara and Kakashi (and Izuna if you can, but if not that's okay) with an S/O who's stronger than them? Or has accomplished more than them? :)

husband sasuke x wife reader

hcs for shisui going on a mission with his s/o and one the mission they get trapped in a genjutsu that revels his s/o's sad past and she gets emotional

hm, i have a good idea! How about scenario with fem!s/o and itachi having pyjama party in akatsuki hideout? maybe some jealous!Itachi and innocent and childish s/o?

Can I have a one shot or scenario for when Sasuke finds out his s/o has been crying themself to sleep?

Tsunade or Mei x reader with reader uncomfortable w/ taking the next step/talking about boundaries

headcanons for Iruka as a father figure

how Iruka would spend a day off with his S/O

Torturous Betrayal pt. 2

Lover asks

Madara

Minato

Deidara

Obito

Fluff/Smut ABCs

Fluff alphabet C,G,K, and M for obito pls

Pls- Yamato fluff alphabet- Do anything- I beg of u- I love that man♥️

I was wondering if i could get A,C,F,P for my emo tomato sasuke (fluff)

can i please request C, J, M and P of the fluff abc with kiba?

would u be able to do c,h,j,p from the fluff list for kiba??

J,L,P,C for Kisame (fluff alphabet) please 😙

could i request F,G,S from the fluff alphabet for my baby kashi

hi! can i request minato with fluff alphabet a,b,j,l,t please?

[residentlesbrarian]

Sooo It’s been a while…

Man this place got dusty while I’ve been gone...oops. But I am here and I am ready to dust off this blog because despite 2020’s best efforts I am alive and well...ish. Okay...I’m as well as can be expected when a year looks Murphy’s Law in the eye and says “Hold my beer.” Anyway, the most important thing is I am still the same lesbrarian with the same passion for finding the queer rep on library shelves where it may be hard to find otherwise. It’s just been very hard to sit down and read and then take the time to write up the reviews the way I wanted to, so as many a thing in my life I put too much pressure on myself until I stopped doing the thing all together, well at least until recently when the universe said, “Hey, remember how much you love reading and then screaming about the books you read and that passion project you brushed under about 50 rugs last year...yeah, you should go back to that little passion baby and give it some love. Oh, you have too many other things to do and too many YouTube videos to watch and too many fictional lesbians to obsess over on Tumblr...then how about I take away all other forms of entertainment and plunge you into the dark ages for days and force you to do nothing but read...no, you don’t get a choice...kisses!”

Sooo...yeah. In case you all aren’t aware I live in the lovely state of Oklahoma and we got utterly railed by an ice storm. Just one more thing that 2020 decided was just fine and totally appropriate for us in this year of...occurrences. So there I am 2 days into a week-long ice storm, but hey my house is weathering well...we’ve still got heat and power and internet, so rage on storm, I don’t care. I’m just chilling in my little desk nook neck deep in my newest obsession, Jamie and Dani from The Haunting of Bly Manor, wrapped in a sensible blanket and enjoying that I have a job that pays me not to go to work when the weather is shit when suddenly I am plunged into darkness! Computer - Dark! Room - Dark! Jamie and Dani being adorable and tragic on my YouTube screen - Gone! Pleasant warm air blowing behind me from the heater - Gone! Suffice it to say I was not a happy camper. My happy little hyper fixated fangirling bubble had been very rudely popped and now I was getting cold and cranky, but it was just before midnight so I thought it’s fine I’ll go to bed and maybe we’ll have power back in the morning. Oh, how naive I had been, fair reader!

I awake to a freezing house and still not even a sniff of power being restored. I am yet again not having to work during this trying time (Thank you library for being the best job ever!) but I am faced with the conundrum of what do I do with my time. No internet, no data on my phone and very limited power on said phone even if I had data and no way to charge it. I really have very few options. But luckily because of the lack of central heat in the house for many a year until recently we have a gas-powered fireplace insert that only needs a light to get going in a power outage. So at least we weren’t completely without heat. And as far as light goes...we basically own a camping good store because one of us has an obsession with hiking and climbing mountains, but this isn’t about that. Essentially I have heat and I have light and...I have three library books I checked out because I was determined to get my ass reading again not knowing this newest apocalypse was coming. 

Long story short I am gonna jump start this blog back to life with a series of reviews in the same style as what I did before my long hiatus, but these are all the...Books I Read In the Dark!!!

That sounds a lot more ominous than it was. Mainly it was me curled up on the couch or in front of the fireplace with my nose in a book and a blanket over my shoulders. As one of my best friends insists on describing it, “it’s like you were going back to your pioneer roots reading by candle light with your shawl and everything”, though those aren’t her exact words she has a much better power of description and is much more...irish. We were only without power for 2 ½ days but in that time I managed to reignite the voracious reader I once was and inhaled 4 books. So stay tuned for the four posts to follow this one that will outline my whirlwind 2 ½ days of classic escapism while I couldn’t do much else but read by literal (electric) lantern light.